February 16, 2008	Saturday	Safar 08, 1429

PESHAWAR, Feb 15: The federal interior ministry has asked the provincial government to make foolproof arrangements for security of the people associated with multinational companies, especially foreign staff.

“A letter sent from the prime minister’s secretariat last week to the provincial government has asked the NWFP home secretary and inspector-general of police to constitute a special security squad to safeguard installations of foreign investors and their workers,” sources in the police department told Dawn.

Such directives have been issued to the four provincial and Azad Jammu and Kashmir governments in view of a letter sent to the federal government a fortnight ago by representatives of multinational companies. The letter, the sources said, stated that the fast deteriorating law and order situation and threats to the foreign staff of multinational firms and companies was a source of immense concern for them.

The Frontier province, they said, was the area of gravest concern for the investors due to the spate of suicide attacks and bomb explosions. The letter said the foreign staff of the multinational companies and industrial units faced difficulties in their movements in the country due to which their businesses could suffer. It urged the government to improve security arrangements for the staff of the multinational companies and firms so they could move freely and visit their outlets across the country without any fear.

“We have asked all police stations to provide security to outlets of multinational ventures in their respective jurisdictions according to the government’s directives,” said a police official. Quoting the letter, he said the foreign investors had also warned the government of stopping investment in the country if their security was not beefed up immediately.

The interior ministry, according to him, had asked the provincial government to ensure security of the companies owned by foreigners, adding that the government feared that any security lapse could affect foreign investment in the country. “We are in the process of raising special squads to ensure safety of installations and staff of these outlets,” he added. He said the foreign firms and companies had also been requested to enhance the number of their private guards and inform the local police in case of any threats.