Court ordered: Police, businessman at odds over protocol

KARACHI: A tug of war between Karachi's police and business community has emerged in a case relating to the deployment of police gunmen and recovery of dues in lieu of services rendered.

These cops are deployed for the security of businessmen and private persons on a payment basis but differences have come to forefront following a businessman refusing to pay the Karachi security range, which threatened him of dire consequences as well as legal action. "You have been enjoying free security since 2012 up till now. The total amount owed by you comes to Rs9.3 million. In case of your disagreement and failure to pay this amount within seven days, legal action will be taken against you," reads a letter from SSP Security II, Karachi Range, to businessman Sabir Ali Bangash.



In the letter, he referred to the services of four cops, mentioning their service rates and duration of deployment. But Bangash disagrees. "I am a timber merchant but my family and I were not given police guards on a commercial basis. We were provided security on the court's directives as seven of my family members, including my father and brother, have so far been killed on sectarian grounds," Bangash told The Express Tribune.

"Two of the six police guards have so far been withdrawn by the police high ups and we fear that the remaining four will also be withdrawn."

Police officials said that the matter is in court. "The security was provided to them for a limited time," said ASI Asghar of the Security Zone II, adding that the family should pay the sum as per police rules.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 3^rd, 2017.