ISLAMABAD: Police guards provided to the ex-cabinet members are yet to be withdrawn though they are not entitled to the protocol after the dissolution of the National Assembly.

Talking to Dawn, officers of the capital police said according to the Blue Book, ministers and advisers to the prime minister were entitled to police guards and squads till they were in office. The guards and squads are provided for security of the incumbent officeholders, they added.

They are not entitled to the guards and squads after they resign, leave office or sacked, the officers said. However, police guards and squads provided to the cabinet members are yet to be withdrawn.

The prime minister of Pakistan is a VVIP according to the Blue Book, the officers said, adding the premier was entitled to security protocol, including police guards and squads.

The total number of personnel sanctioned for the security of the prime minister was 1,000, they said. However, currently 600 police personnel along with officials from other forces were deployed with the interim prime minister.

Cabinet members, including minister and advisers and other parliamentarians, are included in the list of VIPs. The ministers and advisers are entitled to two police gunmen each.

However, the number of gunmen and police guards exceeded from the entitled strength according to the sensitivity of the portfolio and threats, adding the interior minister had a police squad of about three dozen officials.

The officers said the situation was yet to be cleared besides written orders over the dissolution of the National Assembly was yet to be received. The Supreme Court had taken notice of the issue and continued hearing of the case, they added.

The security will be withdrawn from the premier, ministers and advisers after receiving written orders from the authority concerned. The officers said the premier will continue working under Article 224-A (4) for over a week after the dissolution of the assembly.

The security of the ministers and the advisers will be withdrawn after receiving written orders, they added.

Published in Dawn, April 5th, 2022