Barring few ‘special cases’,ex-ministers not entitled to security: IGP

Karachi
Former ministers are not entitled to police security as per the law but Zulfiqar Mirza, some other ex-ministers and Pakistan People’s Party women wing leader MNA Faryal Talpur have been provided with special protection on the basis of intelligence reports, the provincial police chief told the Sindh High Court on Monday.
Filing comments on a petition filed by former home minister and PPP leader Zulfiqar Mirza against the withdrawal of official security from him and his spouse, former National Assembly speaker Dr Fahmida Mirza, IGP Ghulam Hyder Jamali submitted that Mirza had been provided with complete security and was not harassed in any way.
The police chief said four police constables had been deployed each for the petitioner and his wife’s security. Besides, he added, the SSP Security Zone-II had deployed five constables at their residence in Karachi.
The IGP said the SSP Badin had reported on May 8 that the policemen deputed for Mirza and his wife’s security were sent back by the petitioner himself.
Replying to the court’s query about ex-ministers, Talpur and businessman Anwar Majeed’s entitlement to security, the IGP said that former ministers enjoyed no such privilege under the law or the Sindh Privileges Act, 1975
He, however, admitted that security protection was provided to some ex-ministers including PPP’s Pir Mazharul Haq and Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s Dr Sagheer Ahmed, Abdul Rauf Siddiqui and Waseem Akhtar over threat assessment and on the recommendation of the special branch and other agencies.
Jamali maintained that the special branch had also reported that the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan was planning to target Faryal Talpur. Therefore, he added, special security steps were taken for her.
Regarding Majeed’s security, the IGP said the special branch had also mentioned that the businessman, who was also the honorary consul general of Croatia, could be kidnapped for ransom as he often traveled to the rural parts of the province.
He added that the special branch had recommended security arrangements for Majeed as his kidnapping could perturb the business community.
Jamali said the SSP Badin had been directed for re-deploy security personnel for Mirza and his family.
However, the IGP added that Mirza was accompanied by hundreds of men as well as women equipped with sophisticated, illegal weapons, majority of whom were involved in criminal cases.
“It looks like a private army, which is prohibited under Article 256 of the Constitution,” the IGP submitted.
The police chief also brought to the notice of the court that hundreds of arm licences were issued in the name of the petitioner, his wife and son which was not only astonishing, but also proved the contention that Mirza was planning to prepare a private army. Furthermore, he added, the licences of the prohibited weapons issued by the interior ministry would be produced later.
The police chief argued that the petition was not maintainable, and should be dismissed.
Mirza, who had remained the home minster of Sindh from 2008 to 2011, had contended that on account of his enmity with Muttahida Quami Movement chief Altaf Hussain and PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, he feared his own as and his family’s safety.
He had submitted that in case the provincial government was not willing to provide protection to him and his family, then he should be allowed to hire the services of private security.
He submitted that MNA Faryal Talpur, former president Asif Ali Zardari’s sister, and Anwar Majeed, his business associate, had been provided with 250 and 50 policemen respectively at the State’s expense.
The court after placing the report of the IGP on record directed the advocate general to provide its copies to the petitioner’s lawyer, who would submit his reply on the next date of hearing. It also asked Talpur’s lawyer to give copies of the intervener’s applications to Mirza’s lawyer to file a rejoinder and adjourned the hearing till May 20.