KP Police demand Rs 2,450m additional funds in next budget

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pàkhtunkhwa Police have demanded an additional Rs 250 million in terms of fuel for the patrolling cars and Rs 2000 million for procurement of vehicles in the next financial year, a source told The News on Monday.

Besides, the force has asked the KP government to allocate and additional Rs 100 million each for the cost of investigation as well as providing basic facilities and repair work at police stations.

It has been learnt Inspector General of Police Sanaullah Abbasi and other officials took up the issue of the shortage of funds with the top officials of the KP government and the Finance Department recently.

The officials were briefed and told the force at the police station were short of vehicles, fuel as well as other basic requirements. According to the proposals of the KP Police, the authorities concerned were asked to provide at least 50 per cent of the budgeted funds to the in-charge investigation at the start of the financial year that may be replenished as per the agreed SOPs.

"The current budget of RS 201 million under the cost of the investigation is as per the 2007 rates. Besides, the amount could not be utilized properly due to lack of advance funds and unresolved issues regarding police station level budgeting," KP police bosses told the Finance Dept authorities. It added that as per the new proposed rates, the total requirement could be up to Rs 900 million.

The recommendations to the Finance Department also suggested setting up a state of the art Forensic Sciences Laboratory that is to cost Rs 2 billion. "The local FSL is not well equipped and consequently specimen have to best to the Punjab Forensic Laboratory. It costs Rs 45009 on a DNA test that can be done for Rs 15000 locally," said the recommendations.

The recommendations sent to the government demanded Rs 100 million for the providing of major repair work and other facilities at police stations. "As many as 129 construction projects have been completed in the recent past with a cost of RS 8011 million that need maintenance funds of Rs 160 million," said the recommendations.

The recommendations informed that police stations are provided 18-litre petrol per day for both the operation and investigation wing. The fuel is not sufficient for patrolling all the areas of any police station.

The recommendations demanded at least 20 litres per vehicle at any police station for effective patrolling. The recommendations asked for at least Rs 250 million additional funds to overcome the deficiency of fuel for the patrolling cars.

The recommendations said Rs 4 billion is required for the police station level cars and motorbikes in the next two financial years. It demanded Rs 2000 million for purchase of single cabin vehicles for police stations and asked for a midterm strategy to address the vehicle deficiency for the KP Police.