Terror strikes see Pak private security firms laughing their way to the bank - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

While several businesses are under severe threat of being closed down due to the continuous spate of violence in Pakistan, private security companies are doing brisk business in the country amid the turbulent situation. The demand of private security personnel is so high, that not only these firms are rapidly adding to the man-force by hiring new people daily, they have also increased the salary of their present staff. These companies have increased the monthly salaries of their guards, consisting of former army jawans and civilians, to 15,000 rupees, while the salaries for former special services group commandoes have been raised to 25,000 rupees or more, The Daily Times reports. "As recent as four years ago, we seldom received requests for our services but the demand has increased exponentially since the terrorist attacks started. The recent attack on a university in Islamabad has been very profitable, as it has prompted thousands of schools throughout the country to seek security services," said a retired major of the Pakistan Army, who runs a private security firm. The demand is so high that these security firms are forced to hire personnel even without giving any proper training or equipment to them. A former army official pointed out that the private security guards are ill equipped to deal with the terrorists, as the government does not allow them to carry any automatic weapons. According to a 2004 census there were more than 22,000 private security guards in Lahore, as compared to around 14,000 government security personnel. There were 200 private security firms in the city, but according to officials the number has now increased to more than 300 and over a dozen new firms waiting for licenses to jump into the handsome profit making business.