Lack of coordination: Insecure parliament of an insecure country

Various agencies securing the House follow their own operating procedures.

ISLAMABAD: The Parliament House is vulnerable to a security lapse as law enforcement agencies and its own security personnel are not on the same page, The Express Tribune has learnt.

Sources within the Parliament House said that three law enforcement agencies, including Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) police, special branch of the police, and parliament’s own security apparatus, are responsible for securing the building.

“The agencies are operating independently and follow their own Standard Operating Procedures. They don’t take each other into confidence whenever sessions of Senate and National Assembly are in progress,” the source said. “There is no single command.”

In the absence of one command centre, security personnel from different contingents will wait for their respective commanders’ orders, causing a delay in responding to an attack.

The source said that while parliament is in session, Rangers are also deployed but they operate independently as well and take their positions on specified points.

Sources hinted at a disagreement between security personnel on the matter pertaining to manning the main entrance of the building. “No agency is ready to take the responsibly to check pedestrians entering the building,” he said. “Parliament’s security officials say that they are not trained enough to react in case of an untoward incident.”

The ICT police is also not ready to shoulder the responsibility, claiming that they are short on personnel.

According to sources, as many as 40 closed circuit cameras have been installed at the parliament building but they operate only till 4pm on account of insufficient technical staff to run the cameras. “Security officials operate the cameras for only eight hours in daylight,” he said. “But various standing committees continue to meet until evening.”

Published in The Express Tribune, September 9^th,  2011.