March 03, 2008	Monday	Safar 24, 1429

KARACHI, March 2: Although Rs20 million was approved in 2006 for the purchase of modern equipment for the police’s bomb disposal unit, nothing has so far been done to upgrade the ill-equipped BDU.

Senior officials and sources in the police department said upgrading of the unit had begun creeping just a few weeks ago, which would take more time to take shape. However, most of them were unaware whether the recent ‘progress’ was in line with the funds approved in 2006 or it was a fresh initiative of the present authorities.

In such a situation, question arises about the release and consumption of the funds approved in 2006 as disclosed by one of the senior retired officers, who was then at the helm of affairs.

“I still remember that we decided to upgrade the unit with modern and high-tech equipment,” Jehangir Mirza, former IG of Sindh told Dawn recalling developments in late 2006. “I assigned a team specially for that purpose, which came up with plans and did a good job. We also managed to get approved funds for that project.”

Another retired senior officer confirmed approval of Rs20 million for the upgrade of the BDU. However, he showed his ignorance about the release of the funds by the provincial government, as he had retired by the time things moved forward.

“We were able to get approved around Rs20 million purely for the upgrade of the BDU,” he said on the condition of anonymity. “Since it was an additional cost from the budget approved for the police department, it had to be offered by the provincial government.”

Before the release of such funds the then police hierarchy was replaced by the new one, he added. Meanwhile, sources confirmed that not a single piece of equipment had been added to the total units available with the BDU for the last several years.

“Currently, the BDU owns four GVDs (gravity vapour detectors), which were acquired some years back and they are needed to be replaced with the latest ones,” said a police source. “It’s an important part of the BDU as it detects vapours emanating from explosive substance.”

Similarly, he said, the BDU had only two Explosive Finder 152 units, which were much short of the requirement of the city, expanding at a staggering pace.

In 2006, the source said, the authorities recommended that an SP-level officer head the BDU, which was being operated by contractual employees with meager financial benefits for the life-threatening job.

The city has witnessed a series of bomb scares in recent weeks which, on the one hand, terrified the citizens and, on the other, put the BDU on the job beyond its potential. In January a bomb threat delivered to one of the city’s boarding schools also forced the management to send 300 boarders back to their homes in different parts of the country and shut their facility temporarily.

The authorities realized the sensitivity of the issue and claimed to have undertaken measures which would bear fruit in the days to come. They also said they had won foreign assistance for the upgradation of the BDU.

“We have already taken up the matter and the upgradation of the unit is in the process,” Azhar Ali Farooqui, the IG of Sindh, told Dawn. “We have also received assistance from the United States’ consul general, who has provided some of the equipment we needed to enhance the department.”

He said the Sindh police realized the importance and sensitivity of the job being performed by the underpaid personnel of the BDU and a detailed proposal for their fringe benefits was also in the pipeline.

“Apart from that, we have also decided BDU personnel’s training on modern lines coupled with an increase in the number of such workers,” added the IG.

The sources maintained that the BDU owned some five bomb detectors, which were acquired long ago. Like other devices, the quality of those detectors was also not up to the mark, they added.

“Interestingly, the BDU does not have any sensor, which has been very effective for such tasks, neither has it ever bothered to acquire such a facility,” added the source.