KARACHI, June 5: Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan has directed the authorities concerned to withdraw all police guards and mobile escorts given unnecessarily to various people in the entire province.

Discussing a plan of action in this respect with the concerned authorities, he directed that as a first step, security guards and escorts unnecessarily deployed at ministers and advisors residences be withdrawn by Monday next.

Governor Ibad issued these directives while presiding over a meeting at the Governor’s House on Monday. The meeting reviewed the law and order situation of the province.

He asked the authorities to implement this decision taking all the concerned into confidence and added that they should be provided security to the extent they were eligible.

The meeting decided that police vehicles deployed for the safety of such persons cannot use emergency lights and hooters while the provincial ministers and advisors, as well as the federal ministers visiting here, would not use traffic pilots nor the traffic signals would be closed for them.

The governor made it clear that there should be an end to the trend of keeping police guards and using them as status symbol.

The meeting further decided that unauthorized guards, escorts and mobiles with police officers would also be withdrawn.

The governor said that nobody in the city government, except the City Nazim and Naib nazim, could use guards and if the town nazims or UC nazims need guards, they should privately make such an arrangement.

The meeting noted that Karachi was as safe as any other city of the world.

It felt that the people should make their private security arrangements if they require it for their individual needs.

It further noted that there had been a remarkable improvement in law and order situation in the province as compared to past years.

Reviewing the commercial and economic activities in the city, the meeting stressed on further improving the atmosphere.

Governor Ibad said that there should be no hindrance in economic activities, as such activities have been revived after great efforts due to which foreign investors were taking interest here.—PPI