KARACHI, Nov 3: Realising the need for equipping private guards — especially those posted at bank branches — with modern weapons to counter criminals, the Sindh government has for the first time since the induction of private firms in the security sector allowed them to use semi-automatic arms.

However, the permission falls short of what was demanded by the private security agencies, which want the guards to have weapons of prohibited bore.

There has been a growing demand for private security guards in the wake of an upsurge in criminal activities in Karachi and the government’s failure to restrain criminals for want of adequate number of policemen for a city of over 15 million people.

The decision to allow private guards to keep semi-automatic weapons came following persistent demand from the private security companies for weapons of prohibited bore mainly for the guards deployed at bank branches in the city, sources said.

“Supporting the demand, the Sindh government sent a request to the federal authorities concerned seeking permission to issue licences of automatic weapon to private security companies operating in the province,” said a source sharing details of the development and the background with this reporter.

“The request was turned down by the federal authorities and even the Sindh police strongly opposed the proposal on the ground that this may create a private militia. The police simply believed that the performance of private security companies is questionable and it will never be an appropriate decision to allow their personnel to carry automatic weapons.”

However, he said, the issue was discussed in a series of meetings between senior officials of the home department and representatives of private security companies. Finally, it was decided to allow the private guards to carry semi-automatic weapons if not the weapons of prohibited bore.

“Along with 9mm pistols and 12 bore shotguns, the private security companies can now arm their guards with 222, 223 and 7mm rifles. But these arms will be meant for only those personnel who are deployed at financial institutions like banks, diplomatic missions or sensitive installations, as well as those posted as guards of important personalities,” he added.

More than 50,000 security guards associated with over 200 private security companies performing their duties in Karachi alone have outnumbered the city police force, which has the strength of 29,000 and is responsible for the safety and security of over 15 million citizens.

Though under criticism for their alleged connivance with robbers in many cases, some of them coming to light during the last few years, private security guards in some instances effectively resisted armed robberies and at least three of them have laid down their lives in the line of duty this year. Investigators, however, find their overall performance to be much below the required professional skills.

“We have not given up our demand for weapons of prohibited bore,” said retired colonel Tauqeer-ul-Islam of the All Pakistan Security Agencies Association. “But it’s a kind of some relief offered by the Sindh government to allow us to equip our guards doing security duties at financial institutions and other important places with semi-automatic weapons. It will help improve their efficiency to some extent.”

He pointed out that there had been an increased use of technology and modern gadgets in all sectors. “Criminals have also organised their gangs using sophisticated weapons and modern technology,” he added.

“An approval by our association is mandatory for all our member companies to seek licences of semi-automatic weapons for their guards from the home department. However, there is a shortage of these weapons in the market these days due to which some companies are facing problems,” said Colonel Islam.

Describing the government’s decision as a step in the right direction, he said it had proved effective in the case of the companies hired to guard oil pipelines. “We hope it will help improve performance of our personnel as well.”