Daily Times

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court directed the provincial government to place on record a policy regarding provision of security to the politicians and citizens receiving life threats.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah and Justice Zulifqar Ahmed Khan gave the government four weeks time to come up with the policy.

At the outset, the provincial law officer informed the judges that the government would make a policy for providing security to the citizens as well as politicians and to the persons receiving threats , he requested the court for allowing some time.

Former lawmaker Nabil Gabol had petitioned the high court back in August 2015 for provision of security when he parted ways with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and leveled serious allegations against its founder.

Gabol had claimed that he has been receiving threats from the MQM since he left the party.

In his petition, he submitted that he was attacked several times in the past and was again being threatened since he left the MQM. Due to the differences with the leadership of the Pakistan People’s Party, the security provided to him has been withdrawn.

He said that only four police personnel were deployed at his residence, who are performing their duties round the clock and taking weekly days off. He and his family were facing threats to their life due to the withdrawal of the police escort.

Gabol’s lawyer contended that Faryal Talpur and Anwar Majeed were given a high-level police escort because of their relations with former president Asif Ali Zardari and demanded that he may be given the same security escort since he had served as lawmaker.

The petitioner pleaded the judges to direct the provincial government to provide adequate security to him. The court was further requested to direct the Rangers to provide him security.

Nabil Gabol had joined the MQM in March 2013 after detaching himself from the PPP, ending his long association with the PPP.