KARACHI, April 6: The authorities seem unwilling to pay heed to Dr Arbab Rahim’s request for extra security after he escaped the wrath of enraged crowd at the inaugural session of the provincial assembly, believing that the former chief minister had already enjoyed protocol and security facility beyond his official capacity.

Senior police officials appear satisfied with the security arrangements for the former chief minister who returned from the assembly building without taking oath to escape the wrath of charged party activists on Saturday.

Dr Rahim faced this situation when he, along with other members of the PML-Q, arrived in the assembly hall before the proceedings began.

The enraged crowd hurled abuses at him, calling him a ‘turncoat’ and a ‘tyrant’ for the alleged complicity in subverting the ballot and torturing PPP workers and supporters and plundering Sindh’s wealth and resources. He kept himself confined to the lobby until was escorted out in strong police protection.

Dr Rahim, who claimed to have been maltreated by PPP workers inside the assembly building, asked the home department to provide him extra security.

However, the authorities said they had, so far, not received a formal request from Dr Rahim for extra security.

They were of the view that adequate arrangements were already in place for the safe movement of the legislator across the province.

“We have been providing him adequate security mainly in Karachi, at his residence, and also when he moves anywhere in the province,” Azhar Ali Farooqi, Inspector-General of Sindh police told Dawn.

“The day he went to the assembly, we deputed plainclothes personnel along with uniformed policemen to escort him and a senior officer was dedicated to supervise all such arrangements.”

He said the staff detailed for the security of Dr Rahim was already more than the deployment made for any other political leader in Sindh. He said the police would, however, address his concerns on merit in line with the available resources.

Sources in the Sindh police and the Pakistan People’s Party said the two sides took up the issue at a meeting on Sunday though they appeared satisfied with the security arrangements and agreed that the Saturday’s episode was part of a natural reaction from political activists amid change of guards of the provincial administration.

“There are 40 million people living in this province and police guard can’t be put for everyone’s security up to his satisfaction,” said a senior official on condition of anonymity.

He said the former chief minister and some of the ex-ministers enjoyed the facility without having any official status during the last few months when a caretaker set-up was in place. The service was managed in line with their request for months, but now the new administration would decide if the members of former ruling parties had to be provided extra security, the official said. “Just reacting on a 30-minute episode, which was a politically-motivated move, we can’t decide on our own to further enhance his (Dr Rahim’s) security,” he added.

Following the incident, the Capital City Police Officer and Deputy Inspector-General, South, met the people concerned to analyse the situation.

“We would definitely take measures, if it is felt that there is a need to further enhance his security,” the provincial police chief said.