11000 personnel needed to man new sections of motorway: NA committee told

• The Finance Division had approved funds for sanctioning of manpower in phases and in the first phase 3000 personnel were sanctioned.
• The committee asked the Ministry of Communication and National Highways Authority to rationalize the toll tax collected at highways in Sindh.
• Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan said threat assessment committee should decide the matter realistically.

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Rules of Procedure and Privileges was told on Tuesday that 11000 personnel were needed to man the newly opened sections of motorway including Multan Sukkur motorway.

Inspector General Motorway Police A D Khawaja told that motorway police was facing resource crunch and manpower was not sanctioned for newly opened sections of motorway.

The Finance Division had approved funds for sanctioning of manpower in phases and in the first phase 3000 personnel were sanctioned.

AD Khawaja told that as comparatively the salaries of police department were now better than Motorway police, so police officials were not joining the motorways department.

The committee asked the Ministry of Communication and National Highways Authority to rationalize the toll tax collected at highways in Sindh.

The meeting was chaired by MNA Qasim Khan Noon.

The IG said motorway police should be provided digital speed cameras as the use of present cameras was putting lives of officials at risk as at times they had to stand amid fast moving vehicles.

The chair resolved the question of privilege of MNA Muhammad Jamaluddin about an incident when due to mistaken identity, a personnel of motorway police pointed gun at him and caused mental agony.

The IG told that the incident happened because the motorway police was looking for a similar vehicle which was overspeeding and had refused to stop on the motorway at that time.

The incident happened near Charsadda Interchange. After the apology tendered by the Inspector General, the committee ended the matter with the direction that Motorway Police should strictly follow its procedures and give further training to its officers to avoid such incidents in future.

The committee also took up the question of privilege rasied by Faheem Khan, MNA regarding withdrawal of his security by Sindh police.

An officer of Sindh police informed that threat assessment committees at provincial level take decision on applications about providing security to important political and religious personalities and on the number of policemen to be deployed with them.

The provincial committee comprising representatives of Special Branch, Counter Terrorism Department, Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) seek recommendation from district committees.

It was suggested to the standing committee that rules should be made for provision of security to parliamentarians.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan said threat assessment committee should decide the matter realistically.

He commented that politicians were accountable at every level and were problem solvers for their constituents and should be provided security in face of threat.

Faheem Khan told that his life was under threat and he had already come under attack and was shot with a bullet.

He lamented police was deployed for people not allowed security by Threat Assessment Committee.

Legislator Shagufta Jumani said she and MNA Shahida Rehmani were getting threatening telephone calls and should be provided security. The committee expressed displeasure at the absence of Inspector General Police Sindh from the meeting.

The chair directed that provincial Inspector Generals of Police, Home Secretaries and Interior Secretary should appear before the committee in person in its next meeting so that Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) could be devised for provision of security to important personalities.

After discussion on the matter, the chair directed that appropriate security should be provided to members of Parliament. About 4000 police personnel were already deployed in Sindh for protection of different personalities.

It was told that federal and provincial ministers were provided 10 personnel each for security.

The committee held discussion at the question of privilege raised by Pir Fazal Ali Shah Jilani, regarding disconnection of electricity of his house by Aqeel Junejo, Zonal Chairman, WAPDA, Sukkur.

He complained that his family was being unfairly treated .

Qasim Noon expressed displeasure at the absence of heads of power distribution companies from the meeting and directed that they should ensure their presence next time to resolve the problem faced by the MNA and other complaints.

The committee disposed of the matter of amendments moved by MNA Shazia Marri in the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly as she was not present.

The committee deferred the question of privilege raised by MNA Muhammad Aslam Khan regarding raid carried out at his office without prior information by Federal Board of Revenue and seizure of files and record on a false report.