Veteran jihadis are being employed by private security companies, sources told Daily Times on Thursday. "Almost half of the guards in security companies are jihadis and most of them have fought in Afghanistan," sources said.
"Here's your cap and your boom vest, Mahmoud! Anybody tries to get in, you explode!"
"Hokay, boss!" |
A Home Department official said, "We are investigating." He said the security companies would be asked to send a record of their employees and their place of deployment. "The information from companies will be counter checked," he said. "The companies will also be asked to give details of their clients and weapons. We will set up a special cell in the home department to monitor security companies," he said. The official said 120 companies had been given licenses and 86 had companies non-objection certificates. Pakistan Security Services Association's Punjab President Col (r) ZI Farrukh said, "Those who have given up jihad for good should not be discouraged."
"The security companies usually do not employ jihadis, but can make a mistake. A government notice is sufficient to scrutinise the security staff in the companies," he said. "Jihadis are not going back. They are going to stay and get jobs. It is better they work with the companies and are monitored," he said. He said the government should locate jihadis who are not working with security agencies but are working privately. "People have employed private guards. The police don't have their details. The police should have a verification of every guard. There are persons who have weapons and are employed by the companies in and outside Lahore. Government should collect their details as well, " he said. The Punjab government is introducing a new security culture by involving security companies. So the jihadi guards could create problems, sources said. |