RAWALPINDI: Eight double cabin luxury vehicles given to the local police by the Chinese government for the security of Chinese nationals working on various development projects are being used by the families of police officials and other police highups.

A week after the vehicles were given to the local police, the Punjab inspector general of police (IGP) sought details on the use of the vehicles, at which point the regional police officer (RPO) returned his vehicle to the motor transport department, saying he had no need for it and it should be used for operational purposes.

A day later, the city police officer (CPO) gave his vehicle to the police motor department for operational use, citing similar reasons to the RPO.

The vehicle returned by the RPO was then given to the Taxila deputy superintendent of police (DSP), while the vehicle returned by the CPO was being used for VVIP movement.

A senior official from the local police motor transport department said: “Of the eight vehicles, five were delivered to the local police in April, and the remaining three were also given to the police by the end of April.”

He said two of the luxury vehicles were sent to the residences of two police highups in Rawalpindi, who then returned them to the motor transport wing.

One vehicle was given to the Saddar Circle Superintendent of Police (SP) Dr Ghais Gul, one was given to Headquarters SP Ameer Abdullah Niazi, and one was given to the Taxila DSP.

He said the second batch of three vehicles were being used by the police for patrols and operational duty in the constituency of Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan.

The federal and Punjab governments have been directing the local police to make all the necessary arrangements for the security of Chinese engineers working on development projects.

In August last year, the Punjab home department directed the divisional police chiefs to bolster security around Chinese nationals following intelligence concerns that India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) could target Chinese nationals in Pakistan.

Security sources say 450 Chinese nationals have been working or residing in the Rawalpindi division.

The Chinese government gave local police eight vehicles in order to increase police patrols, since a number of the development projects on which Chinese engineers are working are located in the Rawalpindi division.

On Tuesday another 15 vehicles were given to the police by the interior minister.

According to a senior motor transport department official, employees are waiting for orders from senior officials regarding who will receive the vehicles and what they will be used for.

When contacted, CPO Israr Ahmed Abbasi said the first batch of five vehicles was given to the police for multiple uses, including tightening security around Chinese engineers and for operational purposes.

“The heavy vehicle being used by me was also returned to the police for operational use and patrolling,” Mr Abbasi said.

He said that because development projects on which foreign engineers have been working fell within the limit of the Saddar SP, he had been supervising operational and security duties.

“Our top priority is to ensure proper security for Chinese engineers who have now started working at night,” he added.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2016