LAHORE: An incident involving the alleged use of private security guards to block a public road for Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan in Lahore has triggered criticism over VIP protocol and rule of law, after local journalist Ijaz Cheema highlighted the matter on social media.
According to a post shared by Cheema on X [formerly Twitter], when the federal minister arrived in Lahore, security guards of his housing society picked up their wireless sets to accord him protocol, came out onto the roads themselves and blocked the route, resulting in a traffic jam.
وفاقی وزیر مواصلات علیم خان لاہور پہنچے تو ان کی سوسائٹی کے سیکورٹی گارڈز انہیں پروٹوکول دینے کیلئے وائرلیس سٹ اٹھائے خود سڑکوں پر آ گئے اور اور روٹ لگا کر ٹریفک جام کر دی ، پنجاب حکومت کے مطابق صوبہ بھر سے ڈالہ اور سیکورٹی گارڈ کلچر کا خاتمہ کر دیا گیا ہے پھر یہ کیا ہے ؟… pic.twitter.com/uJoQQOJyBY
— ijaz cheema (@chemajournalist) July 17, 2026
Cheema questioned the action in light of the Punjab government’s stated policy. “According to the Punjab government, the culture of dharra and security guards has been eradicated across the province — so what is this?” he wrote.
The journalist termed the blocking of a public route by private guards and causing a traffic jam a crime, and called on the provincial government to take legal action. “Let’s see whether the Punjab government registers a case against this illegal act or not,” he added.
When Federal Minister for Communications Aleem Khan arrived in Lahore, the security guards of his society picked up their wireless sets to accord him protocol, came onto the roads themselves, and blocked the route, causing a traffic jam.
Cheema further stated that under the law, sections 341 [wrongful restraint], 186 [obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions], 143 [unlawful assembly], 149 [every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object] and 506 [criminal intimidation] of the Pakistan Penal Code would be applicable in such a case.
The incident has reignited debate over the continued VIP culture and the use of private security personnel to regulate public thoroughfares, a practice the Punjab government has repeatedly claimed to have ended.
“Now, the Punjab government must prove whether the law is equal for everyone or not,” Cheema said.
There was no immediate response from the federal minister or the Punjab government till the filing of this report.
