Poor quality of uniforms, protective equipment and vehicles is the cause of death for police officers in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, The News reported on April 5, citing local police department sources.
“The best thing you can do to protect your life is to put on a bulletproof vest and helmet and use the APC to navigate the rough terrain. All these measures failed to protect the lives of policemen in two consecutive attacks in Lakki Marwat and Kohat due to the low level of protection equipment and vehicles.”an unidentified police official told the agency.
According to him, most of the bulletproof vests and helmets in the possession of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police are already operational. “more than ten years”. He added that according to the standard, the useful life of protective equipment is 5 to 10 years, and it is reduced with frequent or intensive use.
Another problem, the employee continued, is the heavy weight of the protective equipment delivered. He said some employees even replace steel armor plates with wooden planks to reduce weight and avoid being scolded by superiors when checking equipment.
“If you put two AK-47 magazines in the pockets of such armor, it would weigh 8-10kg, making it almost impossible to use during an eight-hour shift, especially on hot summer days.”the police officer said, adding that some police officers are even willing to risk their lives to increase comfort.
Provincial Police Chief Akhtar Hayat Khan has reportedly ordered an internal investigation into the provision of substandard protective equipment, capable of sustaining only pistol shots, to two policemen recently killed in an attack.
According to the agency, the police chief also ordered the installation of electronic warfare equipment on police armored vehicles to protect them from remote detonation attacks.
Remember that in the Lakki Marwat district, four policemen were victims of the explosion of an armored personnel carrier by a mine with a remote fuse.
On the night of April 3, two policemen were attacked by unknown assailants in the Kohat area. They were shot at with automatic weapons and killed instantly, despite protective gear.
Source: Rossa Primavera
I am Michael Melvin, an experienced news writer with a passion for uncovering stories and bringing them to the public. I have been working in the news industry for over five years now, and my work has been published on multiple websites. As an author at 24 News Reporters, I cover world section of current events stories that are both informative and captivating to read.