Commandant says Gill’s guards not from FC

PESHAWAR: For the second time in the last few days reports appeared in media and social media accusing Frontier Constabulary (FC) of supporting the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) by providing its personnel to guard the party leadership.

However, the commandant of the paramilitary force, which is headquartered in Peshawar, categorically said the guards neither belonged to FC nor the FC Foundation, a security service comprising retired personnel.

On Sunday, it was reported in the media and social media that FC guards were providing security to the PTI leader Shahbaz Gill when he visited different areas during the by-elections in Punjab.

Some photos appeared in social media that showed the FC written on their shoulders along with badges similar to the soldiers of the paramilitary force.

The FC platoons are deployed mostly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and erstwhile Fata. However, a number of platoons are also performing duties in Islamabad, Karachi and Gilgit-Baltistan on the directives of the federal government.

Before the Sunday incident, a soldier, who claimed to be from FC, was caught while providing security to another PTI leader last week. FC Commandant, Salahuddin Mahsud told the media on Sunday that no soldier of the force had been provided to Shahbaz Gill. He said the guards escorting the PTI leader were employees of a private company.

“The FC is a disciplined force that has nothing to do with politics. The local commander of the force and the Punjab police officials have confirmed that the guards with Gill were neither from FC nor from the FC Foundation,” said Mahsud, who has served as inspector general of police in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Kashmir in the past. The commandant said action will be taken if any of the FC personnel was found involved in any unlawful activity.

Salahuddin confirmed that one FC platoon had been provided to the PTI Chairman Imran Khan at his residence in Bani Gala on the directives of the Interior Ministry.

Earlier, it was alleged that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cops accompanied the PTI leaders when they marched towards Islamabad from Peshawar.

There were reports on social media that KP policemen were deployed at Bani Gala after they were deputed at the KP House in Islamabad.