Islamabad, 26 January 2023 (TDI): Today, the Representative of the United Nations Office on Drugs & Crime (UNODC), Jeremy Milsom, and US Ambassador to Pakistan, Donald Blome gathered to celebrate the accomplishment of the $4,578,696 Improving Rule of Law Program in Balochistan.
Balochistan Police Inspector General Abdul Khalique Sheikh also joined them. The program was funded by the US Embassy and carried out by UNODC.
The program’s five-year duration began in February 2017 and ended in December 2022. Islamabad hosted a closing ceremony to commemorate the journey and successes of this significant intervention.
At the event, Ambassador Blome stated “Today we recognize the completion of a six-year effort between the United States, Balochistan, and UNODC.
In 2017 the United States was the sole funder for this project, providing $4.5 million for the Improving Rule of Law in Balochistan project.
Over the past 75 years, the United States has invested more than a billion dollars to strengthen Pakistan’s civilian law enforcement capacity and keep Pakistani citizens safe.”
He went on to say that “This has included training for more than 120,000 Pakistani police officers, incorporating international standards for crime response, investigations, and handling of evidence into their courses.
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We contributed to the construction of over 230 border posts along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
In Balochistan, we have provided over $20 million to purchase bulletproof vests, helmets, and vehicles to enhance law enforcement operations and keep officers safe while fighting crime.”
Ambassador Blome also emphasized American aid for flood affectees. In this vein, he added that “To date, we have committed more than $200 million in flood response, disaster resilience, and food security assistance.
Our support includes urgently needed food, safe water, sanitation and hygiene improvements, financial help, and shelter assistance.
It also includes work with the Balochistan Police, including replacing police stations destroyed in the floods and providing a new wall and drainage system to better protect the Balochistan Police Training College in Quetta.
We are doing what friends and partners do in times of hardship – support each other.” While Jeremy Milsom, Country Representative, of the UNODC Country Office in Pakistan highlighted UNODC’s continued support in his opening remarks.
He enunciated that UNODC has been working towards improving the rule of law sector in Balochistan. He acknowledged the assistance of the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) section of the US Embassy.
Likewise, he also valued the Balochistan government’s assistance in improving and modernizing the province’s criminal justice systems.
Through training sessions on forensic examination techniques, crime scene investigation techniques, and the provision of contemporary equipment, the Program aimed to improve the technical and operational capacity of the Balochistan Police.
The Program’s main focus remained on enhancing police and prosecutorial cooperation for better justice outcomes.
In addition to renovating Balochistan’s Forensic Science Lab, UNODC provided the Crime Branch of the Balochistan Police with 10 Mobile Crime Scene Units, 2,250 First Responders, and 250 Crime Scene Kits under INL funding.
Four forensic collection units were also established in order to transport evidence. Jouhaida Hanano, the Advisor, of the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Program, UNODC, demonstrated this during her presentation on programme accomplishments.
Additionally, UNODC assisted the INL program with policy reforms, and the Balochistan Police Training Branch received technical support for capacity building needs assessment and analysis.
5517 officials received training in specialized modules covering a combination of policing duties.
Likewise, Balochistan Police developed a Community Policing Policy & Plan with UNODC to increase citizen trust, police response, & mutual accountability in the prevention & control of crimes, particularly against vulnerable groups.
The International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) “Rule of Law” Program in Balochistan is something for which Balochistan’s Inspector General of Police, Abdul Khalique Sheikh, expressed his sincere gratitude in his closing remarks.
He stated that “These wide-reaching initiatives have made a lasting impact in the lives of common citizens. This program was a perfect arrangement where INL & UNODC extended help in areas not taken care of by government finances and beneficiaries.
I would like to acknowledge and appreciate the successful completion of this five-year program in Balochistan. This has set the stage and created an enabling environment where we have further built on it by adding community policing initiative.”
Furthermore, he expressed his gratitude to INL and UNODC for their consistent support and added that he was certain that this help and effort would significantly improve the responsiveness of the Balochistan Police.
The INL-funded program’s impact, major accomplishments, challenges, and lessons learned were all highlighted during the closing ceremony.
After the ceremony, US Ambassador and the Balochistan Police held a presentation of the Forensic Evidence Collection Units for handover.
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