The Ministry of Interior has informed the standing committee of senate that it issued 140 new security clearances for private security agencies in the country during the past four years, which accounted for 21 per cent of the 657 clearances issued since 1980.
Official documents submitted to the senate revealed that 417 No Objection Certificates (NOC) were issued by the four provincial home departments after receiving security clearance from the federal ministry concerned.
However, when approached, ministry and home department officials were unable to provide basic criteria used for issuing such a large number of licences and clearances during the past four years.
The blank response from officials managing this highly sensitive task, given the security risks faced by the country, underscored the need for effective legislation governing the setting up and running of private security agencies.
Documents further revealed that the majority of security companies are operating in Islamabad, Karachi, Peshawar, Lahore, Multan and Faisalabad. Retired military personnel owned most of these companies, which were registered with the Security Exchange Commission of Pakistan.
Senator Kulsoom Parveen, who had sought details of all private security agencies operating in the country, noted the need for the federal government to review its policy of allowing security guards to handle weapons and urged provincial governments to review ordinances under which licences were issued.
The Ministry of Interior informed the committee that cancellation of licences was the prerogative of the provincial governments since they issued NOC for operations.
Highlighting the need for action, Chairman All Pakistan Security Agencies Association (APSAA), Col (retd) Nisar Sarwar said “urgency is required to enact legislation that regulates this key industry more strictly.”
Sarwar informed the senate that currently, all security agencies use local police to vet their guards. “We need to establish separate cells, in each province, to verify guards hired by security companies,” he added.
Giving details on issuance of licences, Sarwar said “Each province charges different fees. In Punjab, licence fee is Rs25,000 for 3 years. We want the same for all provinces.”
He added that security agencies should be allowed to get wireless frequencies, bulletproof jackets, sirens and flashlights, as well as weapons on the basis of NOC rather than applying afresh, which resulted in a waste of time and money.
Edited by Hammad Sarfraz
Published in The Express Tribune, October 15th, 2012.
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