Islamabad police raid US security firm office

Islamabad, Sep.19 (ANI): Islamabad Police on Saturday raided an office of a private security firm hired by the US embassy and recovered 61 firearms.

The police detained two persons from the office premises of the company, Inter Risk, and have also registered a case of fraud against the company, The Dawn reports.

The early morning raid came after reports surfaced that Pakistani authorities have issued 86 licenses for prohibited weapons to a security company which has been hired by the US embassy in Islamabad.

Interior Ministry sources revealed that the licenses were issued to Inter Risk following Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani's approval.

US Ambassador Anne Patterson had held meetings with Gilani and the Interior Advisor Rehman Malik for approval of the licenses, sources said.

According to a private television channel, the highly sophisticated weapons have been imported from the US and each of them cost about 800,000 rupees.

When enquired about the US embassy's contract with the private security firm, a spokesman said it was no secret that the embassy had hired Inter Risk. He said the deal was finalized in April itself. (ANI)