Law and order: CCPO directs banks to enhance security

LAHORE:

CCPO Captain (r) Muhammad Ameen Wains on Tuesday directed representatives of commercial banks to follow directions issued by the police department for enhancing security.

He was chairing a meeting attended by zonal heads of all commercial banks.

“All banks should install night vision cameras and deploy separate guards for their ATM machines. Special vantage points for guards should be built in banks to deter robbers,” he said.

Wains said that bank branches that did not follow the directions would not be allowed to operate. “Banks should get security clearance from the police department and NADRA before hiring guards. Before hiring any security firm, the bank officials should ensure that they have enough manpower and equipment,” he said.

The CCPO said that a customer who withdraws more than Rs1 million cash should be provided protection by the respective branch. “If the bank does not have enough guards, they should contact the area SHO,” he said. The CCPO said that banks and customers needed to remain vigilant in days leading to Eid. He said that police had traced the robberies committed in private bank branches in Shah Alam Market and Garhi Shaho. “Guards were found involved in the heists. They were residents of tribal areas. The banks hired them without checking their credentials,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 15^th, 2015.