Press Release

UNODC hands over equipment to rebuild police capacity after flood damage

16 March 2011, ISLAMABAD - Today, UNODC handed over motorcycles and vehicles to law enforcement agencies of Pakistan to build up the their capacity after the damage caused by the devastating floods in 2010 at a ceremony at the Police Lines Parade Grounds in Islamabad.

The equipment was purchased with the financial support of the Government of Germany. The Deputy Ambassador of Germany, Mr. Stephan Röken, addressed the audience of representatives of the Government, frontline law enforcement agency representatives and the diplomatic community. He expressed admiration for the resilience of the people of Pakistan and said that the German Government was honoured to support the flood recovery effort.

The Federal Minister of Narcotics Control, H.E. Mr. Haji Khuda Bakhsh Rajar, addressed the ceremony and thanked UNODC and the Government of Germany for their support to rebuild law enforcement capacity in Pakistan.

UNODC has ensured the vehicles and motorcycles will be delivered to the most seriously affected districts, such as Nowshera, Muzzafargarh, Kashmore and Jaffarabad. The objective of the assistance is to enhance police capacity to connect police officers with the citizens. Frontline law enforcement is vital to the communities they serve, providing important basic public services and ensuring law and order. In many areas, they are countering significant criminal or insurgent challenges. As a result of the floods, many police stations were damaged or destroyed and agencies suffered significant equipment losses, which has adversely impacted law enforcement capacity.

Prior to the procurement of equipment, UNODC performed a detailed assessment of transport equipment losses as a result of the floods, comprised of preliminary visits to the districts and subsequent technical assessments at most-affected stations and posts.

This equipment complements UNODC's larger flood recovery programme, of which the Government of Canada is the main contributor.