SHC directs federal, provincial governments to provide security to Bilawal

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Wednesday directed federal and provincial governments’ law enforcement agencies to provide adequate 24-hour security to Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto in the country as well as grant him permission for travelling in bullet-proof vehicles with factory-manufactured tinted glasses. The direction came on a petition filed by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari seeking adequate secuirty from federal and provincial law enforcement agencies throughout Pakistan.

The petitioner submitted that he had been receiving threats to his life and there were security agencies’ report, which established that his life was at great risk. He also sought permission for having his personal guards with licensed arms at his home or at any other part of the country.

The PPP leader submitted that after the assassination of his mother Benazir Bhutto, PPP chairperson and former prime minster, in December 2007, he and his family were under a continuous threat from undemocratic forces in the country. He said he had always had an apprehension about his and his family members’ safety because PPP leaders had been receiving threats to their lives and property from extremists and terrorist organisations.

His counsel Akhtar Hussain and Masud Ghani said the PPP chairman wanted to travel in bullet-proof vehicles with tinted glasses. They said he also wanted security guards possessing licensed weapons to accompany him and his family members whenever and wherever they travelled in the country.

Referring to security agencies’ reports warning of serious threats to the petitioner’s life, the counsel said the security agencies had emphasised the need for making all security arrangements, including a 24-hour special security cover, whenever Bilawal undertook visits to any part of Sindh and other provinces of the country. However, they said, the request was not being entertained by the authorities at Federation, capital and provincial levels. They maintained that the law and order situation in the country was precarious, which was also evident from various instances of attacks on different important personalities, some of whom had lost their lives.

It is pertinent to mention that the SHC had also granted petitions of Bilawal’s father, Asif Ali Zardari, PPP Co-chairman and former president of Pakistan, and his aunt, Faryal Talpur, seeking security, bullet-proof vehicles and having private security guards.