SC orders withdrawal of security to unauthorised persons

PESHAWAR: In compliance with the Supreme Court order, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Salahuddin Mahsud on Thursday withdrew police security guards from all the unauthorised persons in the province.

The provincial police officer appeared before a three-member bench comprising Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, Justice Umar Ata Bandial and Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and produced the notification regarding withdrawal of police security guards from unauthorised persons including police officers, political and religious leaders, officers and private persons in the province.

After withdrawal of the police security guards from unauthorised persons in the province, the Supreme Court also directed the Inspector Generals' of Police Islamabad, Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan to withdraw police security guards from unauthorised persons within two days and submit replies with affidavit in the Supreme Court in this respect. During hearing, the IGP told that 3,000 personnel were currently posted as part of the security protocol for individuals in KP. He said that out of 3000 personnel, 70 percent police security guards were deployed for security of unauthorised persons.

The IGP informed that 70 percent security guards were allotted for security of individuals against the police rules. However, he explained that some security guards were deployed on security of individuals after a committee's decision in which ISI and MI representatives were included. On this, the CJ observed that he is not against the genuine case and safety of life of a citizen. He observed that police security should be for the people not for individuals.

"People who have been blessed with everything in life should also be able to arrange for private security for themselves. Take back additional security from everyone by midnight," the chief justice directed the IGP during the hearing of the case.

The provincial police officer informed the bench that the police had already taken back police vehicles from 900 people in the province, who had been provided security earlier.

However, the chief justice observed that he respected the sacrifices of the KP Police during the war on terror in the past 10 years, but influential individuals should arrange for their security privately.