ISLAMABAD, Nov 20: The Ministry of Climate Change had barely finished investigating incidents of theft — that occurred in summer — when another incident happened.

This time the Ministry of Climate Change has been robbed of three desktops that sources said were fitted with expensive accessories and a brand new LCD television.

The equipment went missing from the offices of Global Environment Facility (GEF) that had given space to the Ministry of Climate Change for closer coordination.

Established in 1991 in the World Bank, the GEF assisted governments in the protection of the global environment and promoted environmental sustainable development.

GEF was also the biggest provider of funds to the ministry for environmental projects.

In September 2012, Minister for Climate Change Rana Mohammad Farooq Saeed Khan was vexed to learn that most of the office equipment, desktops, printers, scanners, televisions, monitors and even kettles had been stolen. A First Information Report (FIR) had been registered as a result.

The latest theft was reported to have occurred on November 3 and 4 on Saturday and Sunday during the official holidays.

However, once again, most senior officers were hesitant to share information and said that they had heard about the incident over the grapevine.

This was the second incident of theft in a year registered with the police.

According to official sources, the ministry did not just lose the three desktops but information regarding projects executed by the ministry also went with the computers.

Details regarding international projects with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) worth $90 million that were being jointly executed were also lost.

The projects were about improving indigenous livestock, renewable energy, introducing cost-effective energy standards, conservation and management of the ecosystem, combating desertification and introducing land management as well as improving transport projects.

“An FIR has already been registered. The police have been over at the Ministry again to ask questions from staff as we speak,” said Additional Secretary Administration, Ministry of Climate Change, Mohammad Ejaz, who was at a loss for words to describe the incident.

However, the official denied that the stolen desktops had vital information stored in them.

“There was information saved in the computers but there was nothing important,” said Mr Ejaz.

On Tuesday, police personnel cordoned of the building, in a belated effort to pinpoint all the exit points.

The building was home to two other departments, the Ministry of National Regulations and Services and the offices of Local Government.

Like before, some officials in the Ministry explained how lack of proper security was a major reason for the incidents of theft in the Ministry of Climate Change.