HIT's Muhafiz APC Proves To Be A Deadly Embarrassment

[MJaa]

HIT'S MUHAFIZ APC PROVES TO BE A DEADLY EMBARRASSMENT


A horrifying case of gross negligence and corruption has come to light, which not only cost at least 13 lives of Karachi policemen in the infamous Lyari operation, but also grievously damaged the government strategy to combat militancy in the troubled Karachi neighbourhood.

It has now been confirmed that the May 2012 Lyari Operation had to be suspended with an unnecessary loss of police blood, exposing a mega fraud which was hushed up at the highest level. This fraud relates to the substandard armoured and tracking cars, the tyre-mounted and chain-mounted APCs that were provided to the police to enter the troubled areas with confidence and guaranteed protection and safety. But these APCs proved to be death traps for those inside.

Several policemen were killed inside these vehicles by low-calibre bullets though these APCs were supposed to be bullet- and bomb-proof. At least 18 vehicles launched in the operation were hit by ordinary bullets which pierced them, making holes and killing or injuring the policemen inside. One type of APC cost Rs20 million each while the other was Rs54 million per piece approximately.

The APCs were provided by a Pakistani company, Heavy Industries, Taxila (HIT), and were demanded by the Sindh government to fight the heavily-armed terrorists and urban gangs of criminals. The basic weakness of these APCs, also supplied to the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police, was that its protective shield was too thin and fragile and could not even stop low-calibre bullets as experienced during the Lyari Operation.


Read more: HIT's Muhafiz APC Proves To Be A Deadly Embarrassment ~ Pakistan Military Review

 

[razgriz19]

.................smh.....
The Police force should sue the HIT and everyone involved in the production of that APC.

 

[AUz]

Bs isi ki kami reh gayi thi ....

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

we sold 60 of them to the Iraqis; they had no issues with them

oh by the way Mohafiz is not an "APC"...

while they are supposed to protect from what we would call small arms (such as whats used by the scums in karachi) -- including 7.62mm rounds from your standard AK ---- repeated gunfires in the same area will eventually compromise the armor

mohafiz happens to use welded aluminum armor if im not mistaken......for cost consideration, and for weight consideration...perhaps modified versions with better armour protection (for police, rangers etc) would be in order since everyone wants those police to go home at the end of the day

aluminum is less resistant to damage

heavy weapons or rpgs or even several mags of AK fired at these security vehicles will make small to medium size holes after repeated attempts (various factors come into play here)

hits cause large holes as hundreds of aluminum fragments blast forward causing casualties




backup should have been available; and quite frankly, karachi needs to get its act together --whole fed and local sindh govt. need to deweaponize that city.......Pakistanis only understand rule of the daanda, just shoot on site anyone who displays arms (if i were in charge, there'd be a bullet for every douchebag that even shows weapons in these big cities)



this is my own assesment...if HIT is indeed liable, then action must be taken to rectify the problem

 

[insomniac00]

which world do you live in mate....canada? no wonder you provide such solutions lol

 

[Saleem]

Bullet-proof cars became death traps in May 2012 operation - thenews.com.pk

Excerpts:

At least 18 vehicles launched in the operation were hit by ordinary bullets which pierced them, making holes and killing or injuring the policemen inside. One type of APC cost Rs20 million each while the other was Rs54 million per piece approximately.

The APCs were provided by a Pakistani company, Heavy Industries, Taxila (HIT),

The basic weakness of these APCs, also supplied to the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police, was that its protective shield was too thin and fragile and could not even stop low-calibre bullets as experienced during the Lyari Operation.

Named “Muhafiz,” the APCs proved a deadly embarrassment for the police and after more than seven were destroyed by the armed gangs,

The JIT report revealed two blatant admissions, apart from others, by the Sindh Police as well as the manufacturer of these vehicles: (a) The standard of these vehicles was criminally poor; (b) unused vehicles were returned to the manufacturer for upgrading at government cost, which runs into tens of millions of rupees.



The JIT further points out that 40 (Talha) trackers and 60 Muhafiz APCs were built by use of chassis acquired through an Islamabad-based company, the principal partner of which is a Dubai based company, both traders and not manufacturer.



Muhafiz’s supplied version was designed in 2004-05 with aluminium body, which was bullet-resistant with 110 engine horse power for 2.5 ton load and shield of 7.62 calibre, which is the Nato standard. All eventual orders met the substandard additions which were introduced with steel (not aluminium) body and the low-calibre bullets fired at them in Lyari operation exposed their worth.



Ironically, the JIT suggests that the producer promised to repair the damaged APCs, again at additional cost, but experts say such APCs cannot be repaired because if they are originally vulnerable, welding makes them more vulnerable.



The News contacted Brig Rehmat Khan, Managing Director, APC Factory, HIT, Taxila, for his comments on the quality of the APCs and the JIT report findings, but he refused to talk in detail and just said: “I won’t talk on this issue.”

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

already posted and being discussed


http://www.defence.pk/forums/pakistan-army/196800-hits-muhafiz-apc-proves-deadly-embarrassment.html

 

[mjnaushad]

No wonder Army went for Cobra...... HIT people should be questioned why they stopped Aluminium and start putting steel?

 

[third eye]

This is both unfortunate and strange.

Unfortunate for obvious reasons including the lives lost.

Strange because the vehicles must have been tested against the kind of fire they were meant to protect its passengers from.

 

[fatman17]

HIT'S MUHAFIZ APC PROVES TO BE A DEADLY EMBARRASSMENT


A horrifying case of gross negligence and corruption has come to light, which not only cost at least 13 lives of Karachi policemen in the infamous Lyari operation, but also grievously damaged the government strategy to combat militancy in the troubled Karachi neighbourhood.

It has now been confirmed that the May 2012 Lyari Operation had to be suspended with an unnecessary loss of police blood, exposing a mega fraud which was hushed up at the highest level. This fraud relates to the substandard armoured and tracking cars, the tyre-mounted and chain-mounted APCs that were provided to the police to enter the troubled areas with confidence and guaranteed protection and safety. But these APCs proved to be death traps for those inside.

Several policemen were killed inside these vehicles by low-calibre bullets though these APCs were supposed to be bullet- and bomb-proof. At least 18 vehicles launched in the operation were hit by ordinary bullets which pierced them, making holes and killing or injuring the policemen inside. One type of APC cost Rs20 million each while the other was Rs54 million per piece approximately.

The APCs were provided by a Pakistani company, Heavy Industries, Taxila (HIT), and were demanded by the Sindh government to fight the heavily-armed terrorists and urban gangs of criminals. The basic weakness of these APCs, also supplied to the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police, was that its protective shield was too thin and fragile and could not even stop low-calibre bullets as experienced during the Lyari Operation.


Read more: HIT's Muhafiz APC Proves To Be A Deadly Embarrassment ~ Pakistan Military Review

when the police ride these APC's with the doors open (due to suffocating heat as the AC's didnt work), what do you expect from a corrupt and incompetent security force.

 

[Rain]

Very Sad issue, HIT and Sindh Police both are responsible for this blood shed. they should be takent to task. Lets fight for protection os our brave soldiers lives on social media.

substanderd "APC" is not the ony issue, othere equipments like locally Manufactured AK 47, body armor for police are too substanderd. I rmember one police encounter in locality where police with drew from the fight with Talebans only after when few of their AK got jammed.

the never been noticed nor reported because " Who Cares?"

 

[z9-ec]

Good grief. Now people are posting BS from blogs here on PDF? I could post sh|t loads of crap claiming we have stealth fighters, mizzies and what not from blogs. Just google PAF stealth fighter jets.

Any reliable source other than a blog?

 

[third eye]

when the police ride these APC's with the doors open (due to suffocating heat as the AC's didnt work), what do you expect from a corrupt and incompetent security force.

Does not seem right. The skin was pierced & that has nothing to do with the doors being open or closed.

More like a procurement and QC snafu.



Low quality equipment risk cops
....I visited Lyari and saw the APC with several bullet holes. I got arranged those steal bullets and test-fired on newly-purchased APC and jackets. I fired myself and the bullets of Kalashnikov busted the APCs and life-saving jackets too”.....

The steel used is 6.4mm and is not sloped. Below are excerpts from a Performance measurement carried out in 2008 of this vehicle.

Performance Measurment Security Vehicle MUHAFIZ

Results

From the above data and OEE calculation it is clear that main factor in OEE losses is quality.No organization can afford such a big loss in quality. Availability is a good level. Performanceis also nearly equal to world class OEE. We need is to improve quality.Following factors were identified during the study to have major drawbacks on qualityissues.


Unskillful Workers:

When a worker is not properly trained to do a specific job and heis assigned to do it. He will pay his role in declined quality.

Negligence of Workers:

When a worker is assigned a task or a wrong job and forced to do it in time. He will not care for quality. Only right job should be for right person.Quality can only be improved by strict quality control at each stage. If quality is controlled the performance can automatically increase. Financial losses also occur due to declined quality. Also skilled worker should be incorporated to do job. If a worker is assigned a task he should be monitored thoroughly. If he is not able to perform a jab better he should be assigned another job. Only right person should do right job. One of the reasons in reduction of quality is to increase availability. Availability is not a big factor as quality is. When a worker is assigned a task and imposed to do it in time he will not care for quality.Due to declined quality two types of losses occur. First are performance losses in which workers have to spend extra time in repair of rejected pieces. Second are financial losses.When rejected work pieces are irreparable then it causes a huge financial loss.

 

[Donatello]

No wonder Generals and Politicians, themselves never use these vehicles, but foreign made BMW/Mercedes vehicles with all the safety perks.

What a shame.

 

[Icarus]

I have doubts about the authenticity of this piece, this very year a police officer survived a direct suicide blast in a Muhafiz APC. Iraq has 60 and they are still ALL in operation after over 6 years in front-line service. There were some cases when armour-piercing bullets did manage to penetrate the outer shielding but I have no evidence that proves it hit anyone inside. Most of the APCs as shown on TV were torched with Molotov Cocktails.