VVIP security unit initially recruited unscreened men: AIG

The SSU was established on July 27, 2010 on the directives of the president, had a strength of 1,435 personnel.

KARACHI:

The additional inspector general for the Special Security Unit (SSU), Mushtaq Ahmed Memon, has disclosed that his unit was responsible for providing security to high-profile personalities (VVIPs) but initially untrained and unscreened personnel had been deployed for it.

Memon was giving a presentation during a meeting held at Chief Minister House on Tuesday. The government approved new schemes for the Special Security Unit for the new budget of 2012-13.

The SSU was established on July 27, 2010 on the directives of the president and had a strength of 1,435 personnel from the Sindh police.

These personnel were given salaries that matched those of the Islamabad police, (ie, a minimum of Rs12,000 in risk allowance).

The AIG went on to say that in the upcoming budget, arms, ammunition and vehicles among other equipment would be purchased and training would be imparted to the personnel. The estimated cost of the project without taxes is Rs250 million, and the equipment will cost Rs750 million.

The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Raja Mohammad Abbas, IG Mushtaq Ahmad Shah, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Syed Sohail Akbar Shah, SPPRA Director General Arif Khan, IT Director Tabassum Abbasi, SSU AIG Maqsood Ahmad Memon, DIG Police (Finance) Dost Ali Baloch, DIG Shahid Hayat and Finance Secretary Naveed Kamran Baloch.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 30^th, 2012.