ISLAMABAD: The capital police are in a fix after the Ministry of Interior directed them to reduce the cost of a project concept by 50 per cent for the establishment of a special force under the National Action Plan (NAP).

But officials in the police feared that reducing the cost may hamper the establishment of the force to get the desired results in the war on terror.

The PC-1 for the establishment of the force on the pattern of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) in western countries was sent to the interior ministry in June. But in a recent meeting with the officials of the ministry, the police were asked to reduce the cost amounting to Rs1,853 million by dropping the unnecessary features.

The PC-1 was returned to the Central Police Office for a review, they added. The ministry was of the view that the amount demanded by the police could not be arranged.

In the PC-1, the police sought Rs1,642 million to Rs1,853 million in two phases for the project, including the construction of the force’s headquarters and the purchase of vehicles and equipment along with expenditure to be incurred on the training of the personnel.

Similarly, the police also sought 200 to 300 kanals for the establishment of the force headquarters, including a training school, barracks, armory, and other infrastructure.

But the police were told that 59 kanals located adjacent to the police lines headquarters at I-11 can be utilised for the project as the CDA had already been paid for the land decades ago.

Besides, the police can also purchase 21 kanals at a cost of about Rs530 million. The police can get only Rs396 million for the construction of the headquarters, purchase of equipment and vehicles and training.

But the police officers said Rs396 million were not enough to establish a force of 897 personnel on the lines of SWAT equipped with the most modern and sophisticated weapons.

In reply to a question, the officers said the review of the PC-1 had started and ‘non-development expenditures would be excluded from the project.

The proposal to build separate barracks for women officials, a hall and an auditorium in the headquarters has now been dropped. But the officers expressed the fear that cutting the cost by 50 per cent would not be possible.

Published in Dawn, August 29th, 2015

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