To aid the Sindh police in their fight against crime and terrorism, the US has provided personal protective gear and special security equipment to the department.
US Consul General in Karachi William Martin handed over these equipments on Saturday to the Sindh police at a ceremony held at the Central Police Office.
Sindh Home Minister Manzoor Wasan and provincial inspector general of police were also present on the occasion, while the US diplomat was accompanied by Steve Kraft – the Director of US State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Afghanistan-Pakistan Office.
The equipments – provided under the US government’s International Police Assistance Programme – include 200 sets of personal protective gear, comprising handcuffs, helmets, batons, binoculars and megaphones, to be used during protest demonstrations, as well as voice-stress analysers, bomb detection equipment, a high-roof van and double-cabin police trucks.
Speaking on the occasion, Martin said that he strongly believes peace and security in Karachi will open many economic and commercial opportunities, attracting much needed foreign investment.
“There should be no doubts that rule of law and peaceful stability in Karachi will allow private investors to create jobs and provide infrastructure to the people of the city and the province,” he said.
“As a resident of Karachi myself, I know firsthand the challenges that the brave personnel of the police force face everyday,” the US diplomat said, hoping that through better equipment and modern training, the police can meet the extraordinary challenges in Karachi in a better way.
Martin said the equipments handed over are under the first instalment of the programme and the US government will provide more apparatus in the coming days. “Through International Police Assistant Programme head Steve Kraft, bullet proof vests, helmets, armoured personnel carrier and night vision goggles have been given to the police personnel for protection to make the police more effective for carrying out their dangerous mission of protecting the citizens of Karachi.”
To assist the Crime Investigation Department in its heroic fight to stamp out violent extremism that has claimed far too many innocent lives in Karachi, the CID is being given an explosive analyser, the US envoy said. “Another 500 sets of Civil Disturbance Equipment are for the Sindh police to enhance the officers’ safety, yet also allow them to counter-act disturbances with the least amount of force.”
Martin said the US government will also be providing several million dollars in additional support to the police department, designed to enhance the infrastructure, capabilities and training of police officers in the province. “We hope through our continued support we can improve the [security] environment for our children.”
The US consul general said the aid of equipment valued at more than $8 million, is an ongoing effort by the US government through its diplomatic mission in Pakistan, to provide sophisticated equipment, protective gear, transport vehicles, training and infrastructural support to police officers. “In the past 10 years, the US has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in law enforcement and criminal justice professionalisation in Pakistan.”
The US diplomat was of the view that fighting crime and terrorism is a noble cause, adding that the US State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs takes the lead in helping partner nations’ police agencies to improve their performance and elevate their profile. “The US and Pakistan share a common goal and a common dream – to defeat terrorism and establish law and order for the benefit of all citizens.”
