Senate panel wants security at Parliament Lodges tightened
Senior police official says most unauthorised people living in these lodges evicted
Pakistan Senate. PHOTO: AFP
A Senate panel has directed to tighten security at the Parliament house and lodges in the capital.
This was directed in a meeting of the Senate House Committee which met on Wednesday with Senate Deputy Chairman Saleem Mandviwala in the chair.
The meeting began with a review of the minutes of the previous meeting which had been held on May 10. The committee’s chairman, Senator Mandviwalla, went through each recommendation seeking an update on its implementation.
Most senators of the committee expressed their reservations over the residence of unauthorised people on the premises of the Parliament Lodges.
Senator Kulsoom Parveen and Senator Samina Saeed stated the issue constituted a severe breach of security.
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Islamabad Police DIG Operations and Security told the committee that they had launched a joint operation together with personnel from the Special Branch. As a result of the operation, most of the unauthorised people who had been occupying side rooms at the lodges had been evicted from the facility.
Submitting a compliance report to the committee, the DIG said that the rest of the process is expected to be completed within two days.
While reviewing the status of closed-circuit television cameras (CCTV) and metal detecting walk-through gates installed at the Parliament Lodges, the committee suggested that these entrances should be manned by police personnel.
However, DIG Operations told the committee that the Islamabad Police department does not have enough officers to spare for this task. Moreover, he disclosed that officers were not sufficiently trained.
No compromise on Pakistan’s dignity: Parliamentary Committee on National Security decides
At this, the committee suggested removing the walkthrough gates — since most of them were out of order.
In its stead, it suggested that security at the main gates of the facility should be tightened instead.
Mandivwala expressed concern over the process of monitoring CCTV cameras at the Lodges. He directed the Capital Administration Development Division (CADD) secretary to provide standard operating procedures (SOPs) for CCTV camera operations so that the committee’s members are kept abreast of the monitoring process.
While discussing budget utilisation, the Senate panel was of the view that fund disbursements to contractors were a major impediment in completing projects on time. It was suggested that serious measures be taken to rectify funding issues.
While discussing the lack of ambulances at the Parliament House and Lodges, the committee was told that two ambulances were dedicated to deal with emergencies — one each at the Parliament House Dispensary and Parliament Lodges.
The committee members, though, refuted this claim, stating that none of the ambulances was available when needed.
Mandviwala directed the executive director FGSH to monitor the ambulance service on a regular basis so that medical emergencies could be dealt with in an effective and timely manner.
While addressing the issue of construction of an additional block at the Parliament Lodges, the committee’s chairman reiterated that they were there to resolve hiccups, not settle disputes.
The committee subsequently instructed the contractor to provide a solution whereby he could exit the project and the committee could assign the task to another contractor to complete work on the project within a year.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 7th, 2018.
This was directed in a meeting of the Senate House Committee which met on Wednesday with Senate Deputy Chairman Saleem Mandviwala in the chair.
The meeting began with a review of the minutes of the previous meeting which had been held on May 10. The committee’s chairman, Senator Mandviwalla, went through each recommendation seeking an update on its implementation.
Most senators of the committee expressed their reservations over the residence of unauthorised people on the premises of the Parliament Lodges.
Senator Kulsoom Parveen and Senator Samina Saeed stated the issue constituted a severe breach of security.
China eyes 'black tech' to boost security as parliament meets
Islamabad Police DIG Operations and Security told the committee that they had launched a joint operation together with personnel from the Special Branch. As a result of the operation, most of the unauthorised people who had been occupying side rooms at the lodges had been evicted from the facility.
Submitting a compliance report to the committee, the DIG said that the rest of the process is expected to be completed within two days.
While reviewing the status of closed-circuit television cameras (CCTV) and metal detecting walk-through gates installed at the Parliament Lodges, the committee suggested that these entrances should be manned by police personnel.
However, DIG Operations told the committee that the Islamabad Police department does not have enough officers to spare for this task. Moreover, he disclosed that officers were not sufficiently trained.
No compromise on Pakistan’s dignity: Parliamentary Committee on National Security decides
At this, the committee suggested removing the walkthrough gates — since most of them were out of order.
In its stead, it suggested that security at the main gates of the facility should be tightened instead.
Mandivwala expressed concern over the process of monitoring CCTV cameras at the Lodges. He directed the Capital Administration Development Division (CADD) secretary to provide standard operating procedures (SOPs) for CCTV camera operations so that the committee’s members are kept abreast of the monitoring process.
While discussing budget utilisation, the Senate panel was of the view that fund disbursements to contractors were a major impediment in completing projects on time. It was suggested that serious measures be taken to rectify funding issues.
While discussing the lack of ambulances at the Parliament House and Lodges, the committee was told that two ambulances were dedicated to deal with emergencies — one each at the Parliament House Dispensary and Parliament Lodges.
The committee members, though, refuted this claim, stating that none of the ambulances was available when needed.
Mandviwala directed the executive director FGSH to monitor the ambulance service on a regular basis so that medical emergencies could be dealt with in an effective and timely manner.
While addressing the issue of construction of an additional block at the Parliament Lodges, the committee’s chairman reiterated that they were there to resolve hiccups, not settle disputes.
The committee subsequently instructed the contractor to provide a solution whereby he could exit the project and the committee could assign the task to another contractor to complete work on the project within a year.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 7th, 2018.