KARACHI: The Police Special Branch has proposed at least 40 bomb disposal teams for Karachi among several other measures to revamp the Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS), laying emphasis on increasing its manpower and procuring latest equipment to make it an equal to the challenge of terrorism, it emerged on Friday.

As terrorism hit other parts of the province, an urgent need was felt to enhance the capacity of bomb disposal units (BDUs) in other districts. “The present strength of BDS is not sufficient to deal with the current terrorism challenge,” said Additional Inspector General of Police’s Counter-Terrorism Department Dr Sanaullah Abbasi.

Mr Abbasi, who is also head of the special branch, told Dawn that at present there were 71 personnel, with ranks of DSP to constable, working at a BDS though the sanctioned strength was stated to be 143. “The manpower must be increased,” he said.

He said that it had been proposed that strength and resources be augmented in two stages, namely short term and long term. In the short term, resources were required to enhance capacity of BDU at zonal and district level. It had been suggested therefore that each range district headquarter must have at least two BD teams and each district one BD team in the rest of the province, he said.

“Karachi, however, requires at least 40 BD teams to be positioned in three zonal headquarters and seven districts to be able to combat terrorism in the provincial capital,” he said.

They had also proposed at least 12 BD teams for Hyderabad, five for Sukkur, six for Larkana and five for Mirpurkhas, which totaled 68, including Karachi, he said.

It has also been recommended that each team of the BDU should comprise at least 12 police personnel from constable to sub-inspector rank, according to the copy of proposals reviewed by Dawn.

For this purpose, total 795 police personnel with rank of DSP to constable would be required to be recruited to increase manpower strength.

Of them, 279 police personnel have been proposed to be recruited for Karachi, 226 for Hyderabad, 90 for Sukkur, 110 for Larkana and 90 for Mirpurkhas.

The BDUs would require additional vehicles and other equipment. It had been recommended therefore that a BDU needed 45 vehicles, which included six vehicle jammers and four bomb response vehicles.

Besides, 31 explosive detectors, 10 mine detectors, four bomb locators, 85 metal detectors, 37 bomb protection suits, 24 bomb suppression blankets, seven IED robots, seven outdoor standoff screening system for detection of suicide bombers, 11 hand-held body scanning equipment and 10 portable board-band jammers were needed on an urgent basis in order to equip the BDUs, said the officer.

AIG Abbasi said that to achieve long-term goals resources needed to be multiplied to enhance capacity at the sub-divisional level. The teams and equipment provided to districts should be placed at the sub-divisional level throughout the province.

“A well-equipped laboratory dealing with explosions should be developed besides a bomb disposal training school to impart necessary training and conduct refresher courses.”

There were also many types of equipment, which required immediate repair.

Dr Abbasi said that at present, there were only four BD teams and all were posted in Karachi only. They had proposed to expand the network of BD teams initially at divisional level with the provision of adequate manpower and technical resources.

Besides, he said there was an urgent need to establish ‘explosive lab’ in Sindh on the pattern of Punjab to enhance capacity of bomb experts. For the time being, Sindh police officers would go to Punjab to get training in skills to deal with terrorism, he said.

He said that these proposals had been sent to the departments of home and finance to be taken up in forthcoming provincial budget for next financial year.

Published in Dawn, May 21st, 2016