KARACHI, Oct 11: The Sindh High Court directed the federal and provincial governments to provide maximum security and protection to Pakistan People’s Party chairperson Benazir Bhutto on her arrival here on October 18.

Disposing of a petition moved by an NGO, a division bench comprising Justices Maqbool Baqar and Mrs Yasmin Abbasy remarked that the government was duty bound to ensure the safety of the PPP chief. The security cover should be extended to the entire route of the PPP procession, starting from the airport to its eventual destination. Special measures were required in view of the reported threat to Ms Bhutto from certain quarters, they added.

Advocates Shafqat Shah Masoomi and Ghulam Mustafa Lakho had earlier submitted that Ms Bhutto’s safety and security were particularly threatened by Al Qaeda and Taliban, who were against democracy and leadership of women.