LHC hears plea seeking end of VIP Protocol

LAHORE: A bench of Lahore High Court on Monday heard a petition seeking a court order to cancel protocol provided to VIPs in the country, ARY News reported.

The bench issued notice to the federal government calling its reply over the matter by January 23.

The petitioner in his plea to the court said that the funds being paid by the people are public property. The money paid by the people being spent on giving VIP protocol to the rulers, the petition said.

“There is no concept of the VIP protocol in the developed countries,” the petition further said.

The petitioner requested the court to issue an order for an end of the VIP protocol in Pakistan.

It is pertinent to mention here that the PTI before coming into power last year, had vowed to get rid of the culture of VIP protocol. The party’s government after winning the July elections as part of its austerity plan had banned VIP protocol given by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to influential people at airports.

Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar last year had also directed the police chiefs of the four provinces and Islamabad to immediately withdraw security provided to unauthorised persons.

Still the issue of security to important persons and the VIP movement at roads emerge as an issue of concern in public domain.