Exposure to weather and lack of security leads to deterioration and theft of parts
A vehicle belonging to the Rawalpindi Waste Management Company (RWMC) has been found parked on a main road. The vehicle leaks oil, spews foul-smelling sewage and carries waste beyond its rated capacity. Photo: EXPRESS
RAWALPINDI:
Valuable public equipment, including specially designed security booths and sanitation vehicles, have reportedly been subject to damage and theft in Rawalpindi due to what observers describe as administrative negligence and lack of oversight.
The huts, initially installed during Eid Miladun Nabi processions in 2025 for security screening of women and featuring pictures of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, were later removed and dumped in an open area outside the facilitation center at the district court complex. Since then, parts of the structures, including metal components, have reportedly been stolen.
The site, located in front of the facilitation center near the district courts, has effectively been turned into a dumping ground for a number of items, including obsolete vehicles, newly purchased sanitation machines under the “Clean Punjab” initiative, garbage trucks and tractors, as well as the decorative huts.
Reports indicate that none of these assets are kept under secure conditions. Several newly acquired sanitation vehicles have developed punctured tyres, while spare parts and tires have allegedly disappeared.
Meanwhile, the huts have been left open for several months, leading to deterioration due to exposure to sun and rain, with their condition steadily deteriorating.
The vehicles have reportedly been parked in the open for nearly a year, while the cabins have been there for approximately six months. Recent rainfall has further damaged both the vehicles and the cabins, causing the paintwork to deteriorate and raising concerns that the assets may soon become unusable.
Officials and observers note that the huts can still be renovated and reused for upcoming Eid Miladun Nabi processions if properly preserved. But continued exposure for a few more months can render them completely useless.
Sources suggest that the district administration lacks adequate storage facilities with boundary walls and covered storage space, resulting in valuable assets being left in open areas or in an adjacent uncovered basement. The absence of dedicated security arrangements has reportedly made the site vulnerable to theft, especially during night hours.
A spokesman for the district council maintained that the premises, including the facilitation centre, are protected by an extensive security system with closed circuit cameras installed.
