After a gap of 14 years, 27 police stations in Islamabad have been provided with 30 new vehicles to improve police mobility and response time. The keys to the new vehicles were handed over to Islamabad Police at a ceremony attended by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry on Saturday. Senior Interior Ministry officials, the Islamabad Police Inspector General and other senior police officers were also present.

Speaking at the ceremony, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said modern policing was not possible with outdated and non-functional vehicles. He said police departments could deliver better results only when their operational needs were addressed according to current requirements. Naqvi said the new vehicles would help improve the police response time and enable officers to respond to emergencies more effectively. He added that Islamabad Police was being provided with the necessary resources to ensure the safety and security of citizens.

The interior minister said work was also underway to construct and upgrade all police stations in Islamabad, adding that the ongoing construction and renovation work would be completed soon. He said the use of electric vehicles was part of the government's environment-friendly policy and would also help significantly reduce fuel and petroleum-related expenses. Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry said the new vehicles had been provided to all 27 police stations in Islamabad.

He noted that many of the vehicles previously being used by Islamabad Police were more than 14 years old. Chaudhry said Islamabad, being the capital of Pakistan, represents the country to the world, making it important to provide its police force with modern facilities and equipment. He said work was also continuing on the construction and rehabilitation of all 27 police stations, with the aim of completing the construction work during the current year.

He added that logistics facilities were also being improved for police officers, including the construction of residential facilities. Talal Chaudhry said around 9,000 new police personnel were being recruited to address the shortage of manpower, with merit being ensured throughout the recruitment process. He said these measures would help transform Islamabad Police into a model police force for the rest of the country.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)