In light of a recent Supreme Court order, the Punjab police has withdrawn as many as 4,610 personnel deployed for the security of influential persons not entitled to official security.

The apex court had on Thursday directed the inspectors general of police of the four provinces and Islamabad to withdraw security provided to unauthorised persons within 24 hours.

In a report submitted in SC's Lahore registry on Saturday, Punjab IG retired Capt Arif Nawaz revealed that a total of 4,610 police guards had been withdrawn from non-entitled persons. They include:

297 policemen withdrawn from the security of politicians

527 withdrawn from civil administrative officers and police officers

469 withdrawn from judges of lower courts

54 officials withdrawn from media persons

23 policemen withdrawn from the security of lawyers

Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar praised the Punjab police chief over the action but reminded him to ensure provision of security to those persons who are entitled to it as per policy.

"Lest it happens that an incident occurs tomorrow because of a lack of security," he added.

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The CJP said as per his information 7,000 policemen were assigned the security of non-entitled persons. He directed the Punjab IG to submit a complete report regarding the withdrawal of security personnel within two weeks.

Security protocol withdrawn in capital

Meanwhile, IG Islamabad Dr. Sultan Azam Temuri also issued orders to withdraw security from individuals not entitled to it.

A total of 246 personnel of Islamabad police were withdrawn from unauthorised persons including:

50 from politicians

86 from civil judges

33 from former IGs and police officers

21 from officers of Islamabad administration

3 from foreigners

53 deployed for the security of bureaucrats, media representatives and civilians

On Friday, Sindh IG A.D. Khowaja too had ordered immediate withdrawal of thousands of police guards from unauthorised persons as per directions of the SC order. It is expected that around 4,000 policemen would be withdrawn and deployed for policing in Karachi alone.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa IG Salahuddin Mehsud had already assured the court of similar action on Thursday. He had disclosed that around 3,000 personnel had been deputed with different persons of which around 70 per cent were not entitled under rules.

According to a Dawn report, people in 12 categories are entitled to security. They are president and former presidents; prime minister and former prime ministers; Senate chairman, National Assembly speaker, speakers of provincial assemblies; chief minister and visiting chief ministers; governor and visiting governors; provincial and federal ministers; judges of apex courts and lower courts; chief secretary, home secretary, secretary to the CM, secretary to the governor, commissioners, deputy commissioners, senior police officers of the rank of SP and above; persons having security threat duly conveyed by the home department in writing and security provided under the orders of honourable courts.