Key Takeaways
- The federal government has approved the purchase of a bulletproof Toyota Land Cruiser worth Rs 95.049 million.
- The vehicle will be allocated to the CPEC Secretariat to enhance security arrangements for Chinese nationals and delegations.
- Funds were reallocated from various development projects to cover the cost.
The federal government has approved the purchase of a bulletproof Toyota Land Cruiser worth Rs 95.049 million, aimed at bolstering security measures for Chinese nationals and visiting delegations associated with the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal stated that the protection of Chinese citizens remains one of the government’s top priorities.
The new vehicle will be added to an existing fleet of bulletproof vehicles and at least two helicopters currently used or being acquired for security purposes.
According to the CPEC Secretariat, the Cabinet Division's current pool of bulletproof vehicles is insufficient, often causing delays or disruptions during official meetings, foreign delegations, and high-level engagements.
The government decided to purchase the vehicle through direct contracting under Rule 42(c)(vii) of the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) Rules. Three Toyota dealers submitted bids, with Toyota Central Motors emerging as the lowest bidder at Rs 95.049 million.
Despite having sufficient funds for the purchase, the CPEC Secretariat lacked the necessary allocation, prompting the Ministry of Planning to reallocate Rs 58.3 million from several development projects, including the Centre of Excellence for CPEC, the Federal SDGs Programme, the Monitoring and Evaluation Project, and the Policy Research Grants Programme.
The reallocation also included Rs 6.2 million originally earmarked for the salaries of contract employees. However, due to incomplete approvals, the purchase order could not be issued before the close of the previous fiscal year.
This decision comes amid ongoing security concerns in Pakistan, particularly regarding Chinese nationals and their associated activities under CPEC.
