Withdrawal of security from Gilani rankles Bilawal

PPP chief questions if such steps are being taken on PTI’s whims

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has taken serious notice of withdrawal of security to former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani by the interim government and has called it a criminal act.

In a statement issued earlier, the PPP chief asked the caretaker government to clarify its decision of removing security deployed to the former PM and whom it intends to facilitate by such moves. He also wondered whether the administration was not aware of the fact that both Gilani and his family had been under threats from terrorist groups since long.



“Ali Haider Gilani and Shahbaz Taseer had been taken hostage by extremists due to such criminal negligence in the past,” Bilawal reminded the government, adding that taking away official security was tantamount to give in writing that the caretaker set-up would be held responsible if anything happens to Gilani or his family.

He further said that people should know of those officials who took the decision of withdrawing security of political leadership and also questioned if such measures are being taken on the whims of the incoming Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government. “The incoming leaders [PTI] have called terrorists their ‘brothers’ and distributed billions of rupees to them from the government exchequer,” alleged Bilawal.

Moreover, the PPP chairman highlighted that after terrorist attacks during election season earlier last month, and following the martyrdoms of Haroon Bilour, Siraj Raisani along with hundreds of their companions, the caretaker government should have been more concerned on providing sufficient security to political leadership but its policies appear to be working in the opposite direction.

Bilawal then demanded that security of the former prime minister and the entire political leadership of the country be ensured without any negligence.



Meanwhile, Syed Ali Qasim Gilani, son of the former PM also expressed concern over reduction in security of his father and demanded the government to restore full security at the earliest.

“Our family is facing severe security threats”, said Qasim once again reminding authorities that his brother Ali was abducted by terrorists and was only released after an operation by US security personnel in Afghanistan. He further said the family would move the high court for provision of security.

It is pertinent to mention here that six security officials and two security vehicles, deputed at Gilani House Lahore, were taken back by the police department.  (With additional input from APP)