LAHORE: The security personnel of Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani scuffled with an SHO and SP Saddar Division Athar Waheed over the issue of police presence at the stage during a function at the Expo Centre on Saturday.
DIG Operations Rai Muhammad Tahir resolved the issue soon after the incident. CCPO Lahore Aslam Tarin also ordered an inquiry into the incident.
As per details, the PM arrived at the Expo Centre to preside over the third convocation of the Virtual University at around 12:15 pm. In the meantime, SHO Mustafa Town Mustanir Khan headed towards the stage for vigilance, but a security official stopped him. Meanwhile, SP Athar Waheed also reached there to cool down the issue but the security staff misbehaved with the SP as well.
As the PM left the premises, the police arrested the said security official and took him to Green Town police station for legal action. During the shifting of official from outside the Expo Centre to the police jeep, the police and PM’s security staff exchanged harsh words and used abusive language against each other.
SP Athar Waheed said the security official had misbehaved with him and the SHO despite the fact that it was his (SP) duty to supervise the PM’s security. He said under the blue book, the divisional police head was responsible for the security of the VVIPs.
A senior police officer, requesting anonymity, said security to any VVIP is provided through coordinated effort adding that in the said incident, it seemed that there was no coordination. He said the role of every security official and his complete information was provided to the police and the local police ensure security through all available means.
Soon after the incident, Punjab Governor Sardar Latif Khosa took notice of the incident. According to an official handout issued from the Governor’s House, “The SP Saddar misbehaved with the security guard of the PM.” Khosa directed the chief secretary, IG police and home secretary Punjab to look into the matter and asked for a detailed report within 24 hours.
He said interference in the PM’s security was like high treason. He asked the Punjab police to take legal action against those responsible for the unpleasant incident.
Earlier, the governor said the Sharif brothers always adopted non-political, undemocratic and unparliamentary attitude towards the elected president and prime minister of the country. The Sharif brothers never followed the directions of the green book regarding the reception of the president and the PM. The governor said Nawaz Sharif never received and gave due protocol to the elected PM Benazir Bhutto during his tenure as the chief minister of the Punjab while Shahbaz Sharif was currently following in his footsteps and has never welcomed the elected president in a right manner. Now both of them have refused to accept the constitutional authority of PM Yusuf Raza Gilani. He castigated their undemocratic behaviour and stated that they were encouraging provincial polarisation. He asked if their behaviour was not against the constitution of Pakistan? And is this not a revolt?
Rana Sanaullah on the issue said the police officer and his subordinates had not misbehaved with the PM’s security personnel. He said the misunderstanding between the security personnel had resulted in the incident. He also said that every possible action against SP Athar Waheed had been stopped. However, he said an inquiry into the incident had been ordered to fix the responsibility. Rana Sana said the incident should not be politicised as the Punjab government was providing security to the PM under the set rules.
The focal person of the Punjab Police on the issue said implementation of the transfer of SP Athar Waheed to Balochistan had been stopped till further orders. She added that the CCPO had held an inquiry to probe the incident.
Agencies add: PM’s security official was later released on the intervention of DIG operations.
Minutes after SP Athar Saeed arrested the said security official, Punjab Governor’s spokesman said the SP was being transferred to Balochistan.
However, Rana Sanaullah negated the impression and said the man sitting in Governor’s House seems more like ‘Patay Khan’ rather than a governor. He said no official of the Punjab police could be transferred on the wish of some one.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for the Bilawal House, Aijaz Durrani, criticised Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif for action against a security guard of the prime minister in Lahore.
– Agencies
