Police today issued “important guidelines” for media houses in Lahore, citing serious security threats.
A spokesperson for the Lahore police said the security advisory was issued in the backdrop of a hand-grenade attack on the office of Dunya TV in Faisalabad. Also, some media outlets recently received threatening letters, probably issued by militants.
DIG (Operations) Haider Ashraf has asked the management of media houses to strictly follow some security guidelines, the spokesman said. “In this regard, the Lahore police have issued a circular to the administration of all media houses and the offices of DGPR”.
According to the circular, there must be eight feet high boundary wall with iron bars on its top and there should be emergency exits in the building. Also, the media houses are asked to ensure proper video recordings through CCTV cameras at important places inside the offices.
Nobody should be allowed to enter media offices without body search and scanning with the help of metal detectors. The visitors’ particulars should also be registered on regular basis. As per security advisory private guards should be deployed with vans carrying media crews for coverage.
The private gunmen should be hired and deployed at offices and with mobile teams only after proper verification from the Special Branch. The media houses must hire trained security guards while the police would also arrange a training session for such guards.
Each media house will also ensure installation of panic button or emergency alarm in their offices. Similarly, all vehicles should be scanned through bottom view mirrors at the entry points. Also, the media houses should install walkthrough gates at the entry points to check each and every visitor.