KARACHI: With an increase of over Rs6 billion, the Sindh government has allocated Rs119.97bn in the head of law and order in its budget for fiscal year 2021-22 compared to Rs113.87bn allocated in the last fiscal year.

The government also promised to spend Rs100 million to adopt modern and international practices in DNA tests in the province.

Details issued with the budget documents titled Citizens Budget 2020-21 carry next year’s plans and estimates allocated under the head of “Law & Order”.

Rs1.1bn is set aside for procurement of arms and ammunition for Sindh police

Third largest resource allocation

“In keeping with the principles of Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah who said that ‘the scrupulous maintenance and enforcement of law and order are the prerequisites of all progress,’ the Sindh government has kept law and order as one of its topmost priorities,” said Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah while delivering the budget speech.

“Our commitment to establish and maintain law and order is also evident from the fact that home department (including police, jails, Rangers and other security agencies) is the third largest department in terms of resource allocation with a share of 13 per cent in total current revenue expenditure in FY 2020-21. Home Department has been allocated Rs 119.97bn in next FY 2021-22 as against CFY budget estimates of Rs113.87bn; which is an increase of 5.4 per cent,” he said.

Last year, the Sindh government had announced over nine per cent increase in the budget for security in the province, fixing it at Rs109.788bn, with a promise to recruit 3,000 policemen.

With serious challenges of coronavirus outbreak and emerging situation amid the pandemic, the provincial authorities sounded more concerned about the health and social sector.

Last year, the Sindh government had announced a Rs4bn increase in the budget for security in the province with a promise to enhance local crime prevention through police patrolling with dedicated funds of Rs2bn that would upgrade the old police fleet.

Budget document says that the recurrent allocation of the home department had been kept at Rs119.973bn, which included allocation of Rs106.913bn for Sindh police; Rs5.016bn for jails and Rs8.045bn for home administration, including significant allocation for Sindh Rangers.

“The government of Sindh has established a secretariat ‘Provincial Public Safety & Police Complaints Commission Sindh’, with Rs99.003 million, to empower the ordinary people of the province against bad policing concept,” it said.

An amount of Rs3.695bn is allocated for purchase of physical assets for the Sindh police. Of the amount, Rs2bn would be for procurement of transport and Rs1.1bn for arms and ammunition.

A sum of Rs57.578m is allocated for the welfare of prisoners through a designated committee.

The government also allocated Rs100m to adopt modern and international practices in DNA testing in the province.

Published in Dawn, June 16th, 2021