ISLAMABAD: The capital police would have to arrange funds on their own to meet the requirement of fuel for vehicles during the upcoming financial year.

“Arranging funds to meet the requirement and fulfill official work is not a very good job,” a senior police officer stated. “Such arrangements can be made either through sponsorship or corruption.”

In case of sponsorship, the officer added, the police have to give favour to the sponsors.

During the outgoing financial year, the police received Rs20 million for fuel but for the next financial year the amount has even been reduced to Rs19.5m.

A study conducted by the police showed that an amount of Rs21.2m was required by 22 police stations to run their vehicles. During the outgoing year, the police stations were provided Rs17m.

As a result, the police stations had to arrange money to meet the requirement on their own. Besides, nearly Rs15m were required to keep running vehicles of the traffic police, security, investigation wings and Special Branch.

Around 200,340 litres fuel was allowed for the 22 police stations during the current year.

But this limit was exhausted a couple of months before the end of the current year even through policemen had filled the tanks of their vehicles from their own pockets on a number of occasions.

The police stations need 250,080 litres of fuel with an estimated cost of Rs21.2m.

There are 62 vehicles – 35 pickups and 27 motorcycles – with the 22 police stations.

The officer said faced with the shortage of fuel, police officials sometimes had to seek sponsorship from private individuals.

Published in Dawn, May 30th, 2018