The Sindh home department on Friday issued a notification to ban display of arms in public by the civil-clad security guards in view of volatile situation in the province.
The department has decided to take action against security guards dressed in either civil clothes or uniforms that resemble those of police and Rangers besides seizing cars that resemble police vans and Rangers.
According to the notification issued by the office of Acting Home Secretary Riaz Hassan Soomro, the action will also be taken against private vehicles with mounted police lights, tainted glasses, unauthorised blue lights and fancy number places. Similarly, action will be taken against private vehicles with police sirens and lights, it added.
The notification authorises the SHOs of concerned police stations to register the complaints for the violation of ban and take action against the violators. Those found violating the ban will be dealt under section 188 of the law.
The ban came a day after Sindh Police Chief Allah Dino Khawaja encouraged citizens to use licensed weapons for their protection. In a press conference on Wednesday which was criticised in many circles, he encouraged citizens to use their licensed weapons for self-defence against criminals and robbers, instead of keeping them for mere decoration and showoff.
“If a citizen owns a licensed weapon then it means they have the legal right to use it for self-defence,” the police chief said.
