Red tape delays delivery of bomb disposal vehicles to 16 districts.

LAHORE -- A lack of response by Punjab's caretaker government has been delaying the delivery of 16 newly-purchased bomb disposal response vehicles to as many districts in the province, leaving the citizens, including officials, and public as well as private installations and properties there at the mercy of terrorists.

The government was supposed to decide about the fabrication/alteration of these bomb disposal vehicles since the last many months.

The inordinate delay in the fabrication of the vehicles has rendered the highly-sensitive project incomplete despite the province facing serious terrorism threats.

These vehicles are particularly important ahead of the upcoming major religious events, including Muharram, Ramazan, general elections and massive political activities etc.

According to a report issued by the directorate general monitoring and evaluation of the Planning and Development (P and D) Board, the previous government had launched a project titled 'Revamping of Bomb Disposal Service of Civil Defense Punjab' some 15 months back.

The government had released Rs236 million funds to execute the scheme, in view of the terrorism wave across the country. Under the project, some 16 new bomb disposal response vehicles were purchased for the Civil Defence Punjab.

As per the plan, the tendering process for the fabrication work of these vehicles and for the purchase of bomb disposal equipment was to be carried out.

The prime objectives of the project were to strengthen the bomb disposal service of the Civil Defense by providing necessary equipment and vehicles, to improve the emergency response time of the bomb disposal squad, to protect the lives of people by taking preventive measures against bomb blasts and to check the terrorists activities.

The report mentions that despite a lapse of 15 months, only 25 percent physical progress was made...