KARACHI, Nov 13: The Sindh High Court on Tuesday issued notices to the interior secretary, Sindh home secretary, provincial chiefs of police and Rangers and others in a petition of Faryal Talpur, a member of the national assembly and sister of President Asif Ali Zardari, seeking adequate security from the law-enforcement agencies and permission for travelling in a vehicle having tinted glasses along with personal guards.

She prayed to the court to direct the respondents and law-enforcement and other agencies in the federation or in province to provide her a round-the-clock security cover in view of security agencies’ reports regarding serious threats to her life.

A division bench headed by Justice Sajjad Ali Shah also issued notices to the federal and provincial law officers and put off the hearing to Nov 28.

The petitioner, represented by Advocates Akhtar Hussain and Masud Ghani, referred to the request of the National Crisis Management Cell to the home secretaries and provincial police chiefs, Rangers director-general, chief commissioner and IGP of Islamabad and others for making all security arrangements whenever the petitioner visits respective provinces with recommendation of 24-hour special security cover to her.

The MNA, who is also the chief of the PPP’s women wing, also prayed to the court to direct the authorities to allow her to travel in the vehicle having factory manufactured tinted glasses.

She further prayed to the court to direct the authorities concerned to allow having her own personal security guards with licensed arms at her home, while travelling or while addressing public meetings.

Ms Talpur submitted that she had to travel throughout the country for not only organising the PPP, but also for discharging public duties for the welfare and well-being of the people at large.

The counsel submitted that apart from the fact that her sister-in-law Benazir Bhutto was assassinated in a public meeting in Rawalpindi, the petitioner always had had apprehensions about her personal security as well as about the security of her family members because PPP leaders, including the petitioner, were receiving threats to their lives and properties from extremists and terrorists organisations.

The petitioner submitted in the petition that on account of non-cooperation and non-provision of special security measures, her movement had become restricted and her life and property was in serious danger, as several political leaders and important personalities had been assassinated or become victim of terrorism.

Her counsel submitted that despite threats special security was not being provided as desired under the facts and circumstances and in the letter referred to the federal and provincial governments.

They stated that the petitioner, for purpose of special security measures, wanted to travel in a vehicle with tinted glasses along with her own personal security guards whenever or wherever she travelled, but she was not being allowed by the respondents and authorities in the federation, capital and at different provincial levels.

The counsel submitted that the law and order situation in the entire country was precarious and it was also evident from various instances of attacks and attempts to the life on different important personalities and some of them have lost their lives.