RAWALPINDI: The delivery of 19 ‘Muhafiz’ bomb and bullet proof armoured personnel carriers (APCs) to Airport Security Force (ASF) has been delayed for want of trained staff to operate them, it has been learnt.

Designed on the pattern of American armored personnel carrier, the Muhafiz had been manufactured at Heavy Mechnical Complex, Taxila. They will be deployed at seven airports of the country,.

Although three vehicles have been handed over to the ASF staff at BBIA, they had no trained men to operate it right now.

The federal government had already released the funds for the purchase of 19 Muhafiz armored personnel carriers in line with the demand submitted by the ASF.

The four APC vehicles which are for internal security were demanded for Jinnah International Airport Karachi; the same number of vehicles was demanded by Allama Iqbal International Airport.

The ASF will get the three APC vehicles for Benazir Bhutto International Airport, two vehicles each for Quetta, Sialkot, Peshawar and Multan.

A senior security official said the delivery of the security vehicles was delayed as the ASF did not have trained personnel to handle the bomb and bullet proof vehicles.

He said a first batch of 15 ASF personnel associated with BBIA would be sent to Heavy Mechanical Complex Taxila for 15-days training while another batch of 10 personnel each from Karachi and Lahore will be sent later on.

After completing the 15-days training, the ASF personnel will go through another round of training at the ASF camps before being deployed with security vehicles.

The Muhafiz security vehicle is a fast moving vehicle which can’t be hit from outside as it is bomb and bullet proof.

Besides shortage of manpower, the ASF has been running short of arms and ammunitions and security gadgets which are urgently needed in the prevailing security situation.

Three APC vehicles, used by army, carrying a squad of 19 army men on each carrier had been stationed outside the Rawal Lounge, airport apron and the third one at Nur Khan Airbase.

Moreover, one of the two bomb-and-bullet proof cabins has been put up close to the airport’s entry gate while the second one has been lying idle because there was no space available for it now.

As part of the tightened security, the Rangers have also been deployed at the cargo terminal and other vulnerable points.

According to the security officials, the security at Benazir Airport has been on red alert since June 8 terrorist assault on Karachi airport.

Published in Dawn, July 7th, 2014