KARACHI, Dec 17: The Sindh government has sent a request to the authorities in Islamabad seeking automatic weapon licences for the private security companies operating in the province in a move to upgrade efficiency of private guards deputed mainly at banks in Karachi, it emerged on Saturday.

This fact came out at a meeting between representatives of the Sindh home department and the private security companies, as the recent bank robberies across the city had set alarms bell ringing in the quarters concerned and put a question mark over the security arrangements for bank branches as well as the performance of private security guards.

“The licence of automatic or prohibited bore weapons is a federal government subject,” said a source privy to the discussion on Saturday.

“The meeting presided over by Sindh home minister Manzoor Hussain Wassan was told that the provincial government had already sent its recommendation to the federal government seeking licences for automatic weapons for private security companies.”

Among other measures discussed at the meeting to keep robbers at bay, he said, it was suggested that the banks would be bound to hire services of at least half a dozen private armed guards for each branch.

“It’s commonly observed that only those banks were targeted for robberies where the number of private security guards were two, or in some cases only one,” he said. “Since representatives of one of the major stakeholders –– banks –– of the entire situation were not there, it was decided to call a meeting again next month to finalise the regulatory framework for the banks.”

Later, speaking to reporters after a meeting with senior members of the All-Pakistan Security Agencies Association (APSAA), Mr Wassan announced cancellation of licences of companies whose performance was not found in line with the defined rules.

“Bank robberies tarnish our image both nationally and internationally,” he said. “In 19 bank robberies in 2011 alone, the robbers managed to take away more than Rs70 million, which is alarming for everyone but mainly for those who are tasked to safeguard such assets.”

Though criticised during the last few years for their alleged connivance with robbers, the police have found no hand of private security guards in any of the robberies committed in 2011. But at the same time, investigators find performance of private security guards much below required professional skills.

In Karachi alone, more than 50,000 guards of over 200 security agencies were deputed to protect businesses of different companies and life of individuals, he said, adding that the demand of their services was on the rise under the existing security situation.

However, Saturday’s meeting, as Mr Wassan said, agreed on measures to streamline various issues and bring the companies under regular checks. He also asked the private companies to hire ‘healthy, smart and young’ people for security duties, who should be given proper training for the purpose. The minister during the media talk also suggested various measures taken by the banks, which were not invited to the meeting.

“The meeting has decided that banks will arrange a centralised recording system of CCTV coverage in their branches. Besides, there will be biometrics installed in the branches to keep checks on people entering and leaving them,” he added.