555 police guards providing security to 161 VIPs, SHC told

As many as 555 police personnel guards with 43 vehicles have been deployed for the security of 161 VIPs, including former chief ministers, governors and other ministers.

The Sindh inspector general of police submitted this fact to the Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday. During the hearing of a petition filed by the opposition leader in the Sindh Assembly, Haleem Adil Sheikh of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, who sought police security, a division bench of the SHC headed by Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto observed that the deployment of police special commandos was not mentioned in the IGP’s report.

The high court had earlier directed the police chief to submit a scheme of law that allowed provision of special protection by special commandos to the VIPs. According to the IGP’s statement, 38 retired commissioners and assistance commissioners were being provided 65 police guards and nine vehicles, and 28 serving and retired government officers were being provided 65 police guards and one vehicle.

The report stated that 14 politicians were being provided 65 police guards and five vehicles while 16 provincial minsters and others were being provided 125 police guards and 14 vehicles. The report stated that 11 special assistants to the Sindh chief minister were being provided 20 guards while seven advisers to the CM were being provided 44 police guards and seven vehicles.

The report said that eight former governors and chief ministers were being provided 42 guards and three vehicles, while eight federal ministers had been given 34 guards and four police vehicles.

Sheikh’s counsel submitted that the petitioner was the opposition leader in the Sindh Assembly and he was entitled to strong security as he had security threats. Provincial law officers submitted that four well-trained police personnel had been provided to the petitioner.

The high court directed the police chief and home department to submit a complete list along with details of officials deployed for security of the VIPs and their family members at their residential places and while they were travelling.

The bench directed the IGP and home department to submit details of police commandos that were being deployed for the VIP security and submit a compliance report by January 30. The petitioner had submitted that he had applied for police deployment for his protection which was not being provided while political leaders of the ruling party were availing the same protection provided by the home department as well as the IGP.