The Lahore Police, on the Punjab government’s directions, withdrew on Tuesday around 100 policemen including 63 staffers of the Elite Force (EF) deployed for the security of politicians, former judges, inspector general of police (IGP)’s office and the Intelligence Bureau (IB)’s office in order to deal with terrorist acts in the city. Senior Superintendent of Police Admin Tariq Qureshi told Pakistan Today that the decision was made by them on merit and the idea was to use resources efficiently. He said that most of the aforesaid people were using extra policemen. He disclosed that they have developed a mechanism and were hoping to withdraw about 150 of EF’s men and 200 policemen including constables and head constables. He said that they had started withdrawal from police offices/officials first. He said that even the incumbent LHC CJ had lauded the idea and he returned extra policemen deployed for his security.
TEASING POLITICIANS? However the decision shocked politicians who believe the Punjab government has withdrawn these men in order to tease them. Punjab Assembly Opposition Leader Raja Riaz pronounced withdrawal as a ‘personal attack’. He alleged that the withdrawal of security by the provincial government was done at the behest of the CM who was playing ‘a dirty game’ for which he has to be accountable. He said the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) would raise the issue in the Punjab Assembly. He said that such tactics could not deter them from raising the public issues before the government. He said that the CM would be held responsible in case Riaz’s safety is affected.
Riaz also registered his protest to Punjab IGP Javed Iqbal by writing a letter in which he requested the IGP to return him police personnel for his security because life threats to him still prevailed. PML-Q parliamentary leader in Punjab Assembly Zaheerud Din also condemned the provincial government for rolling back security from PML-Q Chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and senior federal minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi. He warned that the provincial government would be responsible for any untoward incident.
‘IT WAS LAHORE POLICE’S DECISION’: However, Capital City Police Officer Ahmed Raza Tahir said that he had not received any directions from the Punjab government and the police made the decision on their own. More than 800 EF officials are still on security duty and most of them are serving with the CM and his family, PML–N Chief Mian Nawaz Sharif and his family and the prime minister of Pakistan and his family.
Provincial Minister for Law Rana Sanaullah Khan said that allegations regarding withdrawal of security of the Chaudhry Brothers were baseless, since the officials have been withdrawn from other government officials, including the IGP, as well, and the Punjab government was providing complete security to them. He said that the Elite Force should be utilized for countering terrorism in the city.
