ISLAMABAD: Directives have been issued to put radio frequency identification (RFID) barcode on all weapons available with the police to avoid their misuse, theft or replacement.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohammad Aamir Zulfiqar Khan issued the directives after it was brought to his notice that there was no inspection, proper maintenance and audit of the armories. Besides, there was no proper record and details of weapons and anti-riot gears being used by the police.

A preliminary inspection of the armories also found parts of the weapons replaced with substandard or faulty ones. Some modern and sophisticated weapons were found only on paper as they were not found in the stock.

“Such weapons are believed to have been stolen and faulty weapons put in their places,” a police officer said.

The same situation was detected in the anti-riot gear store. Damaged, local and substandard gears were found in the stock of weapons purchased or received as donations from abroad with the original ones missing.

Policewomen are deployed at all the eight pickets in the Red Zone to check women motorists and their vehicles on suspicion

The installation of the RFID barcode on the weapons and the anti-riot gears will counter such practices.

All heads of the police wings were asked to get the code installed on weapons by Dec 15 and submit a report to the IGP office.

The IGP also directed proper checking of vehicles on highways, another officer said.

The directive was issued after it was observed that the police pickets and patrolling teams had failed to counter criminal activities as they only checked the CNICs of motorists without physically searching the vehicles.

Policewomen were deployed at all the eight pickets in the Red Zone to check women motorists and their vehicles on suspicion.

On the directives of the IGP, security of VVIPs, VIPs, delegates/diplomats and judiciary was being enhanced. In the first phase, teams of mounted policemen were deployed in the wooded areas around Red Zone and the prime minister’s Banigala residence.

When contacted, the IGP said the objective to introduce the barcode was to get the history and details of the weapons to avoid the replacement of their parts and theft. Besides, it will also ensure proper and timely maintenance of the weapons, he added.

Published in Dawn, November 23rd, 2018