Exposure to the elements and lack of security cause deterioration and theft of parts.
A vehicle belonging to Rawalpindi Waste Management Company (RWMC) is parked on a main road. The vehicle leaks oil, spills smelly sewage, and carries waste that exceeds its designated capacity. Photo: EXPRESS
RAWALPINDI:
Valuable government equipment, including security cabins and specially designed medical vehicles, have reportedly been left exposed to damage and theft in Rawalpindi due to what observers describe as administrative negligence and lack of supervision.
The huts, originally set up during the Eid Miladun Nabi processions in 2025 for women’s safety check and bearing images of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, were later removed and dumped in an open area outside the facilitation center in the district court complex. Since then, parts of the structures, including metal components, have allegedly been stolen.
The site, located opposite the facilitation centre, near the district courts, has effectively become a dumping ground for various items, including obsolete vehicles, newly purchased sanitation machinery under the “Clean Punjab” initiative, waste collection carts and tractors, as well as decorative cabins.
Reports indicate that none of these assets are stored in safe conditions. Several newly purchased medical vehicles have suffered punctures and spare parts and tires have reportedly gone missing.
Meanwhile, the cabins have remained outdoors for months, which has caused them to deteriorate due to exposure to the sun and rain, progressively worsening their condition.
The vehicles have reportedly been parked outdoors for almost a year, while the cabins have remained there for about six months. Recent rain has further damaged both vehicles and cabins, causing paint to deteriorate and raising concerns that assets will 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 lacks proper storage facilities with boundary walls and covered storage space, resulting in valuable goods being left in open areas or in an adjacent uncovered basement. The absence of specific security measures has reportedly made the site vulnerable to theft, especially during nighttime hours.
A district council spokesperson said the facilities, including the facilitation centre, are protected by a comprehensive security system, with closed-circuit cameras installed.
