PESHAWAR, Oct 20: The NWFP government turned down a request of National Accountability Bureau (Frontier) about using tinted glass in VIP vehicles in view of the growing militancy in the province, sources said.

“The request has been turned down due to the deteriorating law and order and soaring militancy in the province,” sources added. According to them, National Accountability Bureau (Frontier) director general had sent a request to the provincial government on August 22, asking it to allow the bureau to use tinted glasses in VIP vehicles for the purpose of security.

A letter issued by NWFP Home and Tribal Affairs Department on October 15 to NAB (Frontier) director general said that it had received a request for tinted glasses for VIP vehicles through Chief Minister’s Secretariat that was given due consideration. It said that the request was turned down owing to the fact that under Rule 160 of the Motor Vehicles Rules, 1969 as amended vide Home and Tribal Affairs Department’s Notification No SO (P-I) HD/8-63/91 dated July 10, 1991, use of tinted glasses in motor vehicles had been prohibited.

The letter also pointed out that in 1995, NWFP Home and Tribal Affairs Department had received a similar request from the chief executive of the Peshawar Electric Supply Company. The same request, the letter added was subsequently forwarded to Federal Ministry of Interior for seeking its advice on the matter.

The ministry, it added, denied permitting use of tinted glasses in the vehicle of Pesco chief, saying that it was not covered by government policy. Ministry of Interior had said that the competent authority could not issue such permission that was in contravention with the government policy, the letter said.

Sources said that home and tribal affairs department informed NAB director general through the letter that the department’s record showed that in only four special cases, no-objection certificates had been issued to some very important persons in 1993, 1994 and 1999 and thereafter no individual had been granted permission to use tinted glasses in the vehicle.

That permission was also for a limited period of six to eight months, sources added.

The letter, copies of which were also sent to Chief Minister’s Secretariat and chief secretary besides home and tribal affairs secretary, said that the decision of the competent authority had also been prompted by the present conditions of militancy and dire threats to public peace due to which no relaxation in the government policy could be contemplated.