Costly security
Pakistan has long been suffering from terrorism and extremism within and outside its borders, and security has always been a complicated and controversial issue. It has recently been revealed that security detachments for important officials including the governor, the chief minister, cabinet members, special assistants and advisers in K-P costs a staggering Rs1 billion annually and requires more than 3,000 police personnel.
The general public will not be glad at this since Imran Khan has time and again made tall claims of eradicating the destructive VIP culture from the country. No VIP would be allowed to disrupt the flow of traffic in the K-P province was what he said back in 2015. Then in 2018, he said, “I will not take any protocols neither will I let anyone have it… I am the custodian of public’s taxes.” Unfortunately, little has been seen since then apart from a few gimmicks to fulfil these promises in K-P and across the country as the VIP remains more rampant than ever before. Officials need to understand that citizens are not asking them to be completely vulnerable. Likewise, citizens must also acknowledge that internal and external security threats lurking in the shadows are grave and real, especially in a province that borders the volatile Afghanistan region. Perhaps the PM can look to restructure the security demands and protocols because Rs1 billion is indeed a significant amount that is being used to protect only a handful of officials while the common citizens are getting no protection from inflation, increasing instances of crimes, and targeted attacks. Moreover, a few have also raised very real concerns that security provisions are being provided to retired officers while politicians who face the “real threat” are being ignored.
It is commendable that the incumbent government has successfully formulated Pakistan’s National Security Policy. One hopes that its implementation will: a) bring about some scrutiny and accountability, b) decrease cost and expenditure, and c) provide adequate security only where necessary. The government must learn to strike a balance.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 23rd, 2022.
Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.