ISLAMABAD: The government has defended its decision to purchase bulletproof vehicles for next year’s Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. The government has described the move as the minimum requirement for protecting visiting dignitaries.
In a statement, the government said the summit, scheduled for August or September 2027, would be one of Pakistan’s major international events. It rejected criticism of the vehicle purchase as sceptical and unwarranted.
The statement said the gathering would bring heads of state and government, along with senior officials from international organisations. Therefore, secure and reliable transportation would be essential throughout the summit.
The Cabinet Division also cited Pakistan’s security situation and threats from hostile elements as reasons for strengthening security arrangements.
Government Explains Vehicle Requirement
According to the statement, the latest bulletproof vehicles currently available to the government date back to 2016 and do not meet the standards required for the upcoming summit.
The division said authorities had discussed the purchase at several forums before deciding that 45 vehicles represented the “bare minimum requirement”. The government will also hire around 300 non-bulletproof vehicles for other summit-related transportation needs.
The decision followed two approvals by the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC). In September, the ECC approved Rs6.6 billion for 30 bulletproof vehicles after the Cabinet Division initially requested Rs12.6 billion for more than 50 vehicles.
The committee later approved another Rs3 billion technical supplementary grant for 15 bulletproof sedans.
The ECC said the vehicles were required for the security of visiting heads of state and stressed timely preparations. Officials also reviewed security arrangements used during the recent SCO summit in Kyrgyzstan. The two approvals cover the 45 bulletproof vehicles now planned for the 2027 summit.
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