MULTAN/BAHAWALPURS/ HAFIZABAD-Corps Commander Multan Lt-Gen Sarfraz Sattar directed on Wednesday all departments concerned to boost their coordination for improvement in security situation.
Chairing a meeting of senior army and civilian officers to review security arrangements for Muharram here at Corps Headquarters, the Corps Commander directed the jawans and officers of army to extend full cooperation to the civilian administration.
He also reviewed the security arrangements made by different departments as the participants briefed the meeting on the measures adopted by their concerned departments. The meeting was attended by top military and civilian officers including the commissioners and RPOs of Multan, Sahiwal and Dera Ghazi Khan divisions.
Meanwhile, the district police finalised security plan under which over 4,500 cops will safeguard 487 flagellation processions and 1,591 Majalis on Ashura. Police sources said that 104 out of 487 processions had been listed in category A and 383 B. Similarly, 1,150 Majalis have been listed in category A.
They said that a special squad led by CPO Saleem would supervise search operations as 11 special teams would conduct search operations at sub divisional level around the routes of processions, imambargahs, general bus stands and railway stations.
They further revealed that 132 CCTV cameras would be installed on the routes of processions and entire proceedings would be recorded while 70 walkthrough gates would be installed at the entry of Majalis in sensitive areas.
Meanwhile, the Bahawalpur Waste Management Company (BWMC) on Monday pledged to ensure cleanliness during Muharram. BWMC Managing Director Naeem Akhtar said that special steps would be taken to clean more than 25 locations of Imambargahs, procession routes and gathering sites.
From first of Muharram till Ashura, cleaning of Imambargahs, Majaalis locations and procession routs will be ensured regularly. He said that during the operation during Muharramul Haram on the routes of processions, the process of cleaning garbage piles and building material piles will also be cleaned. He added that to review the cleaning arrangements, a special monitoring team has been constituted under the supervision of Manager Operations Muhammad Imtiazullah which will visit all the locations of Imambargahs, Majlis locations and procession routes.
The Hafizabad local government said that an all-out effort would be made to maintain peace and interfaith harmony in the district during the forthcoming month of holy Muharram and disruptive elements would be dealt with sternly.
Addressing a meeting of the District Peace Committee, Acting DC Allah Ditta Warraich, DPO Dr. Sardar Ghias Gul and Chairman District Council Mian Afzal Hussain Tarar have said that lawlessness would not be tolerated and called upon Ulema of different school of thoughts to desist from uttering any word during their sermons which might injure the sentiments of other sects.
They said that although district administration and police have chalked out comprehensive strategy to ensure peaceful atmosphere in the district, yet the Rangers and personnel of Pak Army would be at the beck and call of the administration in case of any eventuality.
The Ulema and other members of the Peace Committee assured the administration that they would extend their full cooperation for maintaining interfaith harmony and traditional peace during Muharram.
The administration directed the MCs to execute proper sanitation and repair of the roads particularly those leading to Imambarghas and route of different processions. The DPO told the meeting that besides 779 policemen, 210 Qiumi Razakar and 2000 volunteers as well as four teams of Elite Commandoes would be deputed and the processions and majalis would be monitored through the CCTV cameras.