Article Posted on : - Mar 02, 2010

M-113 armoured personnel carrier.

WASHINGTON (PTI): US has donated eight state-of-the-art armoured personnel carriers and other surveillance equipments to the Elite Force of police in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province.

"These vehicles and surveillance equipment will support the NWFP Elite Force professionals who are on the front lines in the fight against extremism," the US State Department said in a statement.

The Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement of State Department donated eight armoured personnel carriers and surveillance equipment, which included binoculars, global positioning systems, night-vision binoculars and monoculars, and solar panels.

"The US supports civilian law enforcement in Pakistan through equipment, training, and refurbishment/ rehabilitation of police facilities," the State Department said, adding the US civilian law enforcement assistance totalled USD 49 million in 2009.

The armoured personnel carrier is designed to transport infantry to the battlefield. These vehicles are not usually designed to take part in direct fire battle, but to carry troops to the battlefield safe from shrapnel and ambush.