KARACHI - The police officers on Tuesday disclosed that because of increasing threats of terrorism, lack of communication and coordination, initially untrained/unscreened personnel were deployed on VVIP duty from various units in Special Security Unit of police. The SSU is responsible for security of VVIPs and VIPs.
This was disclosed during a briefing to Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah. The CM presided over a high level meeting regarding Special Security Unit of Sindh, held at the CM House on Tuesday, in which IG Police Sindh, Director General SPPRA, and Sindh finance secretary highlighted the perspective and background of the project.
AIG Police (SSU) Mushtaq Ahmad Memon in his detailed briefing informed that the SSU is responsible for security of VVIPs and VIPs. He said that the SSU was established on July 27, 2010 on the directives of the President of Pakistan, with strength of 1435 personal drawn from various units of Sindh Police and the salary package was equal to the Islamabad Police (minimum of Rs 12,000 as risk allowance). Memon further said that for establishment of the SSU, improved selection criteria of personnel, provision of modern arms and ammunition, vehicles and other gadgets and VVIP projection training of related personnel that the estimated cost of project without taxes is Rs250m, while estimated prices of mentioned articles (cost including duties and taxes) is Rs750m.
It was informed that arms, ammunition, arms accessories, vehicles and other equipment will be purchased/procured in next financial year 2012-13. The meeting approved the proposal of Special Security Unit, and decided that the provincial government will include the same in the annual budget of 2012-13. Speaking on the occasion, Qaim said that during present situation, it was imperative to protect the lives and properties of the people, and for the purpose all out efforts are to be made to combat the situation. The meeting was attended by Sindh Chief Secretary Raja M Abbas, Sindh Police IG Syed Mushtaq Ahmad Shah, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Syed Sohail Akbar Shah, Director General SPPRA Arif Khan, Director IT Tabasum Abbasi, AIG (SSU) Maqsood Ahmad Memon, AIG Logistic Ame Yousuf Zai, DIG Police (Finance) Dost Ali Baloch, DIG Police (Estt) Shahid Hayat, Secretary Finance Naveed Kamran Baloch, Principal Secretary to CM Agha Jan Akhtar and others.