LAHORE: Punjab police have reportedly withdrawn the official security given to the PML-Q top leadership, an official told Dawn on Monday.

He said policemen, including Elite force personnel, had been assigned special duties for the security of the PML-Q Punjab president Chaudhry Pervez Elahi.

The security detail would escort the PML-Q leadership from their Zahoor Elahi Road residence to various places they visited and back, besides covering their party engagements and other political activities, the official said.

He said the police department withdrew the security on Monday morning, setting aside the party leaders reservations who warned that the Punjab government would be responsible for any harm done to them because of the move.

Operations police DIG Dr Haider Ashraf said only the additional personnel had been withdrawn from the Zahoor Elahi Road residence of Chaudhrys.

He said the PML-Q leaders had been enjoying extra security due to some special circumstances. He said a sufficient number of policemen were still present at the Chaudhrys' residence, besides the escort vehicles.

However, he parried a question about the exact number of policemen deputed for the security of the PML-Q leaders.

Published in Dawn, September 23rd , 2014