LAHORE: The Punjab government is reportedly giving Rs379 million high-powered vehicles, automatic pistols and assault rifles to the new batch of Elite Police Force, wondering where the security paraphernalia given to the force since its inception has gone.

On the contrary, the Elite Police Force authorities demand more guns, vehicles and other equipment. “We will still be running short of the equipment even if we get the fresh supplies,” a force official said.

According to official sources on Sunday, the government was giving 89 vehicles (each costing Rs3 million), imported pistols, assault rifles, bullet proof jackets and helmets to the newly inducted 991-member batch of the force.

They said the entire exercise was being conducted by a standardisation committee under an additional inspector general of police (IGP) and representatives of the counter-terrorism and the home departments.

They said the force was launched in 1997 and its every new batch had been receiving new guns, vehicles, bullet proof helmets and jackets.

“The fresh personnel work in the force till the age of 42 years and then they are sent to the district police, leaving behind their gear. We do not know where the leftover equipment is,” a senior official said.

The force officials said only 89 vehicles were being given against the requirement of 124 to the new recruits. Similarly, they were being given 700 rifles, 741 bullet proof jackets and 900 helmets. Every constable would get a new pistol.

They said of the total 7,500 officials, 443 had been sent to counter terrorism department. Not all of them would conduct operations and hence would need no rifles, helmets or jackets, they added.

They said only the first batch of the force recruited in 1997 had got full equipment. The supplies afterwards had been short.

“We need Rs1.4 billion for equipping every official in the force. Only 71 per cent of the staff is fully equipped. The force was also affected by the 15 per cent cut in the current financial budget of the provincial government,” a senior police official said.