KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Wednesday directed the federal and provincial authorities concerned to provide special round-the-clock security cover to Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari.

The two-judge bench headed by Justice Mohammad Karim Khan Agha observed that keeping in view the threats against the petitioner, it was allowing the plea in order to ensure his safety since currently he was politically active across the country.

The bench also expressed resentment with the ministry of interior for not framing any new policy for the security of VIPs despite the directive issued by the SHC in 2013.

Apart from the official security squad, the bench also allowed the PPP chairman to have his own personal security squad with licensed arms and to use the vehicle having factory manufactured tinted glasses.

It asked the federal secretary of ministry of interior and the home department Sindh for compliance with the order.

The PPP chairman through senior counsel Akhtar Hussain had filed a constitutional petition in 2016 seeking directives for the federal and provincial governments to ensure provision of round-the-clock security cover as there were serious threats to his life in view of reports of security agencies.

The lawyer further argued that the mother of the petitioner was also assassinated by terrorists despite an order of the SHC to provide her protection.

The bench in its order observed that the ministry of interior was directed on the last hearing to produce a new policy which it had said in a press release,

issued on March 26, 2013, would be formulated and announced shortly, but the ministry has not produced any such new policy in court.

According to an assistant attorney general and a section officer of the ministry of interior, no such policy has been framed despite the lapse of seven years, it added.

The bench further noted that on a petition of PPP leader Faryal Talpur, the SHC had passed a similar order in April 2013 based on credible threats to her life.

While disposing of the petition of the PPP chief, the bench said, “Keeping in view the credible threats against the petitioner and in order to ensure his safety, we take the exceptional step of allowing the prayer clause “A” in order to ensure the safety of the petitioner who these days is active in his political work throughout the Pakistan, which is reproduce above and direct respondents to comply with same”.

Besides seeking 24-hour special security cover in his petition, Mr Bhutto-Zardari also had asked the court to direct the respondents and law enforcement agencies to allow him his personal security

guards with licensed arms while travelling or addressing public meetings throughout the country, adding that being the chairman of the PPP he had to travel across the country to address public gatherings and discharge public duties for the welfare of the people at large.

Published in Dawn, November 19th, 2020