Private guards violating SOPs to face action

LAHORE: Law enforcement authorities have announced a crackdown on private security companies employing guards dressed in police-like uniforms and using vehicles resembling official police transport.

The decision comes in response to a violent altercation at the Dharampura Beijing Underpass, where security guards from a private company opened fire on a civilian after physically assaulting him over a right-of-way dispute. The incident involved masked security guards who were escorting foreign guests visiting the city. The confrontation escalated when the guards fired shots, causing panic in the area. The civilian, identified as Imran, was initially assaulted before shots were fired. This incident intensified scrutiny on private security firms operating in Lahore. The administration reiterated that, under the Ministry of Interior’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), private security guards are only permitted to wear navy blue uniforms. Furthermore, they are prohibited from using police-like vehicles or publicly displaying firearms.