Exposure to bad weather and lack of security lead to damage and theft of parts.
A vehicle belonging to the Rawalpindi Waste Management Company (RWMC) was found parked on a main road. The vehicle leaks oil, discharges foul-smelling sewage and carries waste beyond its designed capacity. Photo: EXPRESS
RAWALPINDI:
Valuable government equipment, including specially designed security booths and medical vehicles, has reportedly been exposed to damage and theft in Rawalpindi due to what observers describe as administrative negligence and lack of oversight.
The booths, initially installed during Eid Miladun Nabi processions in 2025 for security screening of women and carrying images of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, were later removed and abandoned in an open space outside the facilitation center of the district courts complex. Since then, parts of the structures, including metal components, have reportedly been stolen.
The site, located opposite the Facilitation Center near the District Courts, has effectively been turned into a dumping ground for a range of items, including obsolete vehicles, newly acquired sanitation machines under the ‘Clean Punjab’ initiative, waste collection carts and tractors, and decorative sheds.
Reports indicate that none of these assets are stored in secure conditions. Several recently acquired medical vehicles have flat tires, while spare parts and tires are said to have gone missing.
Meanwhile, the huts remained out in the open for months, causing deterioration from exposure to sun and rain, and their condition continued to deteriorate.
The vehicles would have been parked in the open for almost a year, while the cabins would have remained there for around six months. Recent rains have further damaged vehicles and cabins, causing paint deterioration and raising fears the assets could soon become unusable.
Officials and observers note that the huts could still be renovated and reused for upcoming Eid Miladun Nabi processions if properly preserved. However, continued exposure for a few more months could render them completely unusable.
Sources suggest that the district administration does not have adequate warehouses with boundary walls and covered storage spaces, resulting in valuable goods being left in open areas or in adjacent uncovered basement. The absence of dedicated security arrangements would have made the site vulnerable to theft, particularly during the night.
A district council spokesperson said the premises, including the facilitation centre, are protected by a comprehensive security system, with closed circuit cameras installed.
