Security tightened around the Sindh Assembly building

This follows rumours of imminent attacks on government buildings.


Express November 23, 2010

KARACHI: Security was tightened alongside the road leading to the Sindh Assembly on Monday after rumours were circulated regarding an imminent attack on the Sindh Assembly building, along with security threats to other government buildings in the city.

On Monday, a meeting was also held at the Sindh Assembly with speaker Nisar Ahmed Khuhro in the chair to devise a security plan for the city. However, government officials denied reports of threats to the assembly building in isolation and claimed that the meeting was part of a general security plan for the city which had been devised a year ago and which had yet to be implemented.

The meeting was attended by Sindh Home Minister Dr Zulfiqar Ali Mirza, Finance Minister Murad Ali Shah, Law Minister Ayaz Soomro, Home Secretary Arif Ahmed Khan, Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Fayyaz Leghari and officials of law enforcement agencies.

They decided that a biometric system will be installed around important buildings with the help of the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) in order to indentify the fingerprints of any person. Meanwhile, additional CCTV cameras will be set up at such buildings and the height of the boundary walls will also be increased, it was further decided, after which the DIG (technical) was asked to prepare a feasibility report.

Following the meeting, however, controversial statements by the home minister and the Sindh Assembly speaker added to the speculation regarding the decision to hold a meeting on the security plans for important buildings.

In his statement, Khuhro denied the existence of any reports on the alleged threats to blow up the Sindh Assembly building.

“It is not necessary to hold any meeting after the [rumours]. We are making a comprehensive security plan after looking at the current volatile situation across the county,” he said, adding that it is the responsibility of the state to provide protection to its assemblies and its elected members.

Contrary to Khuhro’s statement, Mirza said that terrorists are planning to target government buildings, including the Sindh Assembly, courts, government hospitals and the Sindh Secretariat, adding that Monday’s meeting was held to revise the existing security plan keeping the recent threat in mind.

“Terrorists’ threats always prevail. They are not new for us, but we are making a strategy to thwart the same,” he said. Mirza added that the road in front of the Sindh Assembly building had been closed for public while additional police had been deployed around the building itself as well as around other government buildings.

“Law enforcement agencies are working hard to apprehend terrorists, but unfortunately the courts either grant them bail or acquit them within a short span of time due to a lack of evidence,” he said.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Sindh Assembly Secretary Hadi Bux Buriro said that the government had devised a security plan a year ago on how to protect the Sindh Assembly like the Governor House and the CM House.

While he denied receiving any recent threats, Buriro said that the building was being provided with additional security as it is an important and “sensitive” building.

“On the last day of the Sindh Assembly session, I visited the building and found no guard at any of the watch-towers while only a few police personnel [were deployed]. I complained of the matter to the Sindh Assembly speaker and the home minister, who have yet to tighten the security,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 23rd, 2010.

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