The ministry has taken the move in view of the complaints from various quarters that the PSOs were being misused in most instances. Senior security officials say the deployment of PSOs in most cases is just a way to make the ´politically powerful´ people happy. [break]
The Home Ministry deploys PSOs in the service of VIPs, VVIPs and other persons who are under security threats. The number of security personnel deployed for a person´s security normally depends on the level of security threat to the person concerned.
“The number of PSOs deployed should be constantly reviewed and even pulled out if the level of security threat goes down to zero,” said a senior police officer, preferring to be unnamed. “But such a review is not being made on regular basis.”
Security officials say the PSOs are sometime found doing household chores for VIPs.
Sources say the Home Ministry has mooted a Threat Analysis Committee (TAC) led by a joint secretary and represented by Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, Nepal Army and National Investigation Department (NID) to review security threats to such persons every two months.
The committee will decide whether to pull out the PSOs or depute additional number of security personnel on a regular basis.
The district security committees led by chief district officers will take decisions to this effect at the district level. The Home Ministry has been providing PSOs to VIPs and political and religious leaders, among others.
All incumbent VVIPs and VIPs -- all former prime ministers, chief justices and home ministers -- are entitled to this facility if they feel security threats.
While Nepal Army personnel have been deputed as PSOs to the president, vice president, speaker, chief justice, prime minister, deputy prime minister and incumbent ministers, some 200 Armed Police Force personnel and 200 Nepal Police personnel have currently been deputed as PSOs to several personalities.
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