*ISLAMABAD – The federal government has decided to end the VIP culture inPakistan.*
*Federal government has ordered immediate withdrawal of VIP protocol givenby the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to influential people atairports.*
The decision took effect from August 26 (Sunday) after the Ministry ofInterior issued directives to all officials concerned of the FIA toimplement the orders forthwith.
The VIP protocol was usually given to politicians, legislators, seniorbureaucrats, judges, military officials and journalists.
According to Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, “We have decided tostrictly implement the decision to provide equal opportunities to alltravellers without any discrimination.”
He adds that action will be taken against officials seen giving specialtreatment to any traveler.
It had been observed that influential people were given VIP protocol atairports so that they could avoid standing in long queues and get clearedtheir luggage without any hassle, he said.
“We have seen that influential people used to seek assistance of FIAofficials at airports who (officials) accompanied them to promptly cleartheir luggage,” the minister said.
The interior ministry has directed the FIA that no government official orother VIPs would be given protocol at airports across the country.
Any FIA official, if found giving protocol to a VIP, would face strictaction, the ministry warned.
According to the interior ministry, immigration counters at airports wouldbe monitored and if any VIP was seen being given special treatment, theimmigration staff and official in charge of their shift would beimmediately suspended.