ANJUM IBRAHIM

High profile assassinations continuing

“I was devastated to hear about Amjad Sabri’s assassination.”

“Indeed, and it’s sad that high profile assassinations are continuing.”

“You can’t provide security to all high profile individuals…the police force is simply not large enough.”

“Not large enough given the number of high profile people we have in this country! I mean anyone related to anyone important also becomes high profile and…”

“Don’t be facetious anyway given our law and order problems our high profile citizens need security.”

“I don’t grudge them that, after all every other country does provide security to their elected officials, or unelected in countries where there is dictatorship or kingship, my grudge against them is that they pile protocol on top of security and that makes it unwieldy if you know what I mean.”

”No I don’t actually.”

“You agree that security for high profile people is necessary…”

“One question before you go on… security to be provided by the state or security to be the responsibility of the high profile person? I mean in other countries those who do not hold public office hire private security companies…”

“See that’s the thing in this country, if you are a politician whose party is in power and if you have a good relationship with the party chair, and mind in all our parties the chair remains the same until death do him/her part, so if you are a brother, a father, a son, a daughter or any other close relative or friend the tax payer would foot the bill for your security.”

“Don’t be facetious.”

“Look at Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s security/protocol detail when he goes around in Sindh – around more than 50 cars.”

“Hey, BBZ is too young yet to…”

“I am not criticizing him just stating a fact, and his Uncle Nawaz had comparable security when he was not even an MNA but his brother was the chief minister of Punjab.”

“OK, but going back to protocol if we could only distinguish between how many of the 50 cars are for security and how many for protocol…”

“And separate the wheat from the chaff you mean, well let me tell you in this country whoever has the wheat needs the chaff as well.”

“You are being facetious today.”