Private security banned in housing projects

Police to compile data on security personnel, weapons in private societies

RAWALPINDI:

In view of an increasing number of incidents of firing in the private housing societies in Rawalpindi, a ban has been imposed on the hiring of personal security guards across all private housing projects.

In this regard, the compilation of data on private security personnel and weapons in all private housing schemes has been started while it has also been decided to conduct a grand search operation on reports of the presence of illegal weapons in all illegal housing projects.

Police officials said there were reports that some illegal housing societies hired several private guards, who were armed with sophisticated automatic weapons, in the name of personal security.

“Such housing societies are using security guards to seize land and fire at opponents,” they said. “Every day there are exchanges of fire between the occupying groups of the illegal housing societies and the opponents, creating an atmosphere of fear and panic among the residents,” they added.

Sources said the police prepared a plan through digital mapping in the light of armed clashes in five police stations of Saddar and Potohar divisions, which was approved by CPO Syed Khalid Hamdani in a meeting Tuesday.

The police said Saddar SP Muhammad Nabil Khokhar, SDPO Taxila, SHOs of Chontra, Chakri, Rawat, Naseerabad and Taxila participated in the significant meeting regarding the hiring of private security guards in private housing schemes.

During the meeting, CPO Hamdani ordered a grand operation against illegal weapons and land mafia in housing societies and directed that all societies should be surveyed and data on security personnel and weapons should be compiled.

It was decided in the meeting that private housing societies or any organisation will only be allowed to keep guards and weapons of a registered security company. There will be no private security guards in the housing societies and violations will be followed by legal action.

It was also decided in the meeting that if there is a report of firing in any society, the involved persons, accomplices and facilitators will be arrested in indiscriminate action.

Squatting, carrying illegal weapons and spreading fear and terror under the guise of setting up housing societies will not be tolerated.

A spokesperson for Rawalpindi Police said in the grand search operation in the housing societies, the local police will be assisted by elite commandos who will respond immediately to any resistance.

“All the senior officers have been directed to provide all the details regarding the grand search operation and the activities taking place during it to the CPO office within two weeks,” he said. “No pressure will be tolerated in this process.”

 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 21^st, 2023.