Minister of State for Interior, Senator Talal Chaudhry, revealed that a total of Rs724.4 million was spent on protest prevention and Red Zone security in  Islamabad during the fiscal year 2022-23. He shared these details while addressing the National Assembly’s Question Hour on Wednesday. According to Senator Chaudhry, in 2019-20, the government spent Rs150 million on Red Zone security, a significantly lower amount compared to 2022-23, due to fewer protests. For the current fiscal year, an additional grant of Rs100 million has been allocated for Red Zone security. 

He explained that security expenditures generally fall under two categories including movement, food, and accommodation of security forces and procurement of containers used to block roads and prevent unlawful gatherings. Chaudhry stated that 2022-23 saw the highest security expenditure in the past five years due to the large number of protests and sit-ins in the capital. He emphasized that if opposition parties had protested within legal boundaries, these expenses could have been avoided and used for public welfare instead. 

Dr Mehreen Razzaq Bhutto raised a question in the House regarding the total security costs for protests in the last five years. Responding to a supplementary question by Senator Sehar Kamran, Chaudhry clarified that empty containers are legally procured by the administration for security purposes, with proper payments made to the respective companies. He also recalled an incident where a loaded container truck was mistakenly placed on the roads, causing additional logistical issues. 

Moreover, to another query he replied to the concerns raised about the staffing levels at the Capital Development Authority (CDA) hospital, which has faced continuous calls for adequate personnel amidst budgetary constraints. He said that multiple advertisements have been issued to fill vacancies; however, the required staffing levels remain unmet, leading to deficiencies in patient care. It was noted that while significant improvements have been made in hospital services, further assistance from elected representatives is essential. 

Regarding issues of immigration and passport security, he responded to queries about the effectiveness of current systems.   Furthermore, in response to questions about begging and the homeless population in Islamabad, the Minister of State for Interior, Talal Chaudhry, reported that numerous arrests have been made under the current crackdown on professional begging. He emphasized that many individuals apprehended are part of organized groups rather than genuine cases of need, advocating for stricter laws to address this issue effectively.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)