Speaker National Assembly, Dr. Fehmida Mirza, had issued a circular which banned the entry of armed security guards in the premises of the Parliament House.—File photo

ISLAMABAD: Security staff of the top political and military leadership did not follow the orders of not carrying weapons in the premises of the Parliament House on a day when President Asif Ali Zardari addressed the joint session on Tuesday, DawnNews reported.

Speaker National Assembly, Dr. Fehmida Mirza, had issued a circular before the beginning of the joint session which banned the entry of armed security guards of lawmakers and ministers and others in the premises of the House. The circular also banned weapons to be carried in the building.

The lawmakers and federal ministers had followed the order by keeping their guards outside the premises of the House.

However, security staff of President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and Army chief Gen Ashfaq Pervez Kayani were seen with weapons roaming in the corridors of the building and interestingly nobody took notice of this.

According to sources, the guards snubbed the security staff of the Parliament House when asked to store their weapons with them.