RAWALPINDI: A government is obligated to provide security to its citizens through its intelligence and law enforcement authorities, rather than leaving it to individuals to protect themselves.

However, this is no longer the case with Rawalpindi’s business community, which has been asked to undertake security measures under the Punjab Shops and Establishment Security Act 1999.

Under the act, owners of business establishments such as banks, offices, shops, educational institutions, wedding halls, hospitals and clinics have to employ at least two security guards, install CCTV cameras, walk-through gates and razor wire on top of the compound’s walls, as well as utilise other gadgets available in the market in order to ensure security at their establishments.

In case of a violation, the business owner will have to pay a fine of up to Rs15,000 or face one month imprisonment. If the offence is repeated, the owner could have the business sealed.

Following the increase in attacks, primarily on educational institutions, street crime and robberies, the police have begun registering cases against store owners, bankers and traders and serving notices directing them to hire private security guards and install CCTV cameras and walk-through gates.

Traders and metropolitan bank administrations were worried by the police statement announcing the registration of cases for violating the act. Senior employees from commercial banks expressed resentment over the statement while the trading community announced a protest. The city district administration and police then met the traders and senior bankers in order to resolve the issue.

The use of CCTV cameras has increased as the citizens grapple with terrorism and crime in the country. CCTV cameras are installed in homes, hospitals, markets and other establishments, including police departments.

In 2005, the citizen community board and the district police installed 45 CCTV cameras along three main roads in the cantonment area in order to decrease crime. Though a few cameras were installed, a control room was set up at the cantonment police station to monitor people’s activities and give recordings to the police when required.

At the time, the Punjab government had sought a report on how to improve the surveillance system. The report that said 475 CCTV cameras were required was sent to the provincial government, and was presumably buried under a heap of other files.

Since then, the installed 45 cameras in Saddar have disappeared and the control room remains closed. None of the successors of the then city police officer, Azhar Hameed Khokhar, has attempted to revive the project.

A senior police official, however, argued that the shop and security act should have been implemented much earlier.

He said traders earned well and should spend some part of their profits on security, and added that a traffic plan should also be devised because business owners had to build parking space while planning their buildings.

“In fact, the business community doesn’t want to spend money on security and expect everything from the police.”

He added that the police “rules” the public and that the police had an equal role in maintaining peace in society.

The official said Rawalpindi police were short of 2,500 personnel, and in this situation CCTV cameras or a safe city project was the best option to monitor criminal activity, since it would reduce the financial burden on the government.

However, the traders’ community has denounced the move, calling it undemocratic. Where the onus of preventing criminal activity was originally on the station house officers (SHOs), who were told they could face departmental action if crimes were reported within their jurisdictions, the responsibility of crime prevention has now been shifted to business owners which many believe to be unjust.

“It isn’t possible for a common shopkeeper to hire the services of private security guards and install CCTV cameras, as the police have issued directives to deploy two security guards in the morning and two in the evening in each shop,” Rawalpindi Traders Association spokesperson Naveen Kanwal told Dawn.

He said the owner of a small store on Khayaban-i-Sir Syed was recently arrested for not hiring a private security guard or installing CCTV cameras.

“How would it be possible for a small shopkeeper to spend Rs20,000 to Rs25,000 a month on a security guard with his limited income,” Mr Kanwal asked.

He said it was the responsibility of the state to ensure the safety and security of citizens, including traders and residents.

While the registration of cases against traders has stopped since their protest, the community still fears the threat of cases looming over them.

Another trader said: “The government’s move against the business community makes it look like we are giving our hard earned money (in taxes) for nothing.”

Published in Dawn, May 28th, 2016