LAHORE: A lack of response by Punjab’s caretaker government has been delaying the delivery of 16 newly-purchased bomb disposal response vehicles to as many districts in the province, leaving the citizens, including officials, and public as well as private installations and properties there at the mercy of terrorists.

The government was supposed to decide about the fabrication/alteration of these bomb disposal vehicles since the last many months.

The inordinate delay in the fabrication of the vehicles has rendered the highly-sensitive project incomplete despite the province facing serious terrorism threats.

These vehicles are particularly important ahead of the upcoming major religious events, including Muharram, Ramazan, general elections and massive political activities etc.

According to a report issued by the directorate general monitoring & evaluation of the Planning & Development (P&D) Board, the previous government had launched a project titled ‘Revamping of Bomb Disposal Service of Civil Defense Punjab’ some 15 months back.

The government had released Rs236 million funds to execute the scheme, in view of the terrorism wave across the country. Under the project, some 16 new bomb disposal response vehicles were purchased for the Civil Defence Punjab.

As per the plan, the tendering process for the fabrication work of these vehicles and for the purchase of bomb disposal equipment was to be carried out.

The prime objectives of the project were to strengthen the bomb disposal service of the Civil Defense by providing necessary equipment and vehicles, to improve the emergency response time of the bomb disposal squad, to protect the lives of people by taking preventive measures against bomb blasts and to check the terrorists activities.

The report mentions that despite a lapse of 15 months, only 25 percent physical progress was made regarding the project objectives.

It observes that so far there is no nomination by Punjab Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) of a member in the technical committee for evaluation of the bomb disposal equipment and fabrication work of vehicles, causing delay in the project execution.

Currently, it states, 16 new bomb disposal response vehicles are to be provided to as many districts -- Bhakkar, Chiniot, Gujrat, Hafizabad, Jhelum, Khanewal, Khushab, Layyah, Mandi Bahauddin, Muzaffargarh, Nanakana Sahib, Okara, Pakpattan, Sheikhupura, Toba Tek Singh and Vehari -- to make the scheme fully functional in the province.

The report further reveals that the Civil Defense Punjab did not have any centralised control room, or an independent direct emergency phone number, to help minimise the response time to the emergency calls made for bomb disposal service. The highly sensitive service is using 1124 helpline to receive emergency calls related to hazardous materials, that was actually established for quick disposal of complaints regarding prisoners’ issues, made by their relatives.

The report stresses the need for a dedicated emergency number for the calls related to the presence or planting of explosive materials (bombs) or devices.

According to the official figures, the Civil Defence teams received total 361 calls across Punjab during 2022. Responding to these calls, the teams defused 51 explosive devices, besides a suicide jacket.

Published in Dawn, March 13th, 2023