Providing protocol services still part of Punjab Police’s job description

Even though it might be too little too late but just when the national exchequer reflects the image of a country heading towards a sovereign default, Punjab’s current government has woken up to the fact that the province spends heavily on providing protocol to VIPs or VVIPs.

Recently, the new caretaker setup has withdrawn the additional security being provided to former chief ministers (CMs) Usman Buzdar and Chaudhary Pervaiz Elahi.

Furthermore, police vehicles and personnel were also called back from former CM Elahi’s son, Moonis Elahi, and former ministers Mian Aslam Iqbal, Raja Basharat, Yasmin Rashid, and Murad Raas. Moreover, the security given to the CM’s advisors, in the recently dissolved Punjab government, namely Khurram Manoor Mani, Mossadeq Abbasi, Umar Sarfraz Cheema, Haroon Gul, and Pir Saif Abbas Ali Shah was also withdrawn.

However, the austerity measures have come a tad bit too late as billions of rupees from the public exchequer have already been spent on providing protocol, as per police department sources familiar with the spending. The Express Tribune learnt that more than 1,000 Punjab Police officials were providing protocol to politicians and representatives associated with the former CM Elahi led provincial government. Along with allowances to police officers providing protocol, the government also spent a significant chunk of public money on providing police vehicles and fuel.

The Express Tribune also learnt that after the attack on former prime minister Imran Khan, the Punjab government sent out more than 600 officers of the Lahore Police to guard him. Commenting on the matter, former inspector general (IG) Punjab, Khawaja Khalid Farooq, was of the view that politicians and VIPs using law and order as an excuse to misuse the provincial force was not new. “All VIPs and politicians demand the services of the police for protection and the financial burden falls on the provincial government,” informed Farooq, adding that in his experience he had seen that politicians often declare 2 to 3 camp offices and then ask for police protection.

The Express Tribune also asked retired additional IG Punjab, Pervez Rathore, about the misuse of police by VIPs. “Police protection is only provided to politicians and VIPs as per the rules. As for private individuals who request protection services, the government charges them for providing security,” explained Rathore, adding that private individuals have to pay the salary, along with food and other expenses of the police officers providing them security. However, Rathore acknowledged that some VIPs get services without paying and the burden falls on the provincial government.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and former provincial finance minister, Mohsin Laghari, when asked about the most recent Punjab government’s protocol expenses, said that anyone who took security from their government paid for it. “As for important political leaders, they were provided security as per the law and therefore the government had to bear all the expenses,” said Laghari while talking to The Express Tribune.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 1^st, 2023.