MUZAFFARABAD, June 6: Facing acute shortage of constables, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) police are eagerly awaiting fulfilment of a commitment made by Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, it has been learnt.

During his visits to Muzaffarabad and Mirpur in October 2011 and March 2012, respectively Mr Gilani had twice announced provision of funds for 2,000 posts of police constables in AJK.

The AJK police department was expecting reflection of that commitment in the federal budget for next fiscal year, but much to its dismay that did not happen.

“Yes, the prime minister has made this announcement. But, the commitment is yet to see the light of the day,” AJK’s Inspector General Police Dr Tarik Ahmed Khokhar confirmed to Dawn.

The existing total strength of AJK police was 7,000 and the IGP disclosed that more than 20 per cent of it – around 700 sanctioned and 900 unsanctioned guards – was busy in carrying out VIP duty.

The IGP also revealed that AJK had no Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) and the police lacked proper anti-terrorism equipment to detect and defuse explosive devices.

Recalling some instances where police were helpless to defuse suspicious devices, he said a number of proposals had been sent to the interior ministry but so far there had been no action taken on them.