ISLAMABAD: The government spent Rs48.138 billion, during the last five years, on its civilian law enforcement agencies engaged in the war on terrorism.

The information was placed before the National Assembly during its question-hour session on Monday.

Dr Mahreen Razaque Bhutto of the PPP had asked the minister for interior about the estimated cost the government had to bear on its efforts to boost the country’s law enforcement agencies over the last five years.

The Islamabad capital territory (ICT), according to the written response provided by Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, was on top of the list in terms of receiving funds under the head of war on terror - Rs23.83 billion. This amount also included the total allocations/expenditures for the capital police since 2009.

Next in line came Khyber Pakhtunwa, where the government spent Rs8.53 billion. The Federally Administrated Tribal Areas (Fata) was separately given Rs3.45 billion. The Frontier Corps (FC) deployed in the KP got Rs1.955 billion. The Punjab Rangers were provided Rs7.17 billion.

Other institutions which received funds for the war on terror included AJK (Rs323 million), Sindh Rangers (Rs341 million), Pakistan Coast Guards, Karachi, (Rs36 million), FC Balochistan (Rs504 million), National Counter Terrorism Authority (Nacta) (Rs227 million), Punjab police (Rs94 million) and Balochistan Police (Rs1.66 billion).

Published in Dawn, October 28th, 2014