LAHORE - The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leadership is yet to inform the Lahore police about the travel plan of Nawaz Sharif who is scheduled to reach his hometown this week.
“The city police have not been informed about the former prime minister return plan so far” a senior official told The Nation Monday.
“The law enforcement agency will be able to finalise a comprehensive security plan after they are notified about the schedule,” the officer said on anonymity.
He added that the city police would be informed about the ex-PM’s travel plan probably on Wednesday or Thursday.
Nawaz Sharif will return Lahore from Islamabad on Wednesday via GT Road. According to some PML-N leaders, the former PM will lead a rally that may take a couple of days to make it to Lahore.
Although, thousands of police are put on high alert across the province to ensure foolproof security, official sources say the city police are not given the details about the ex-PM’s arrival and his route in Lahore.
Earlier, a police officer told The Nation that they were making general security arrangements to guard political leaders and participants of the rally. “We still don’t know when the rally will reach in Lahore and what will be the route of the rally,” he said, adding that the police would provide maximum security cover to the leaders and participants.
Some police officers said on anonymity serious security threats have been looming over rallies and protest demonstrations in Lahore.
A Punjab government official claimed that some 5,000 policemen would be deployed in the capital to maintain peace on this occasion.
He said that the police were struggling to implement a comprehensive security plan to guard rallies and political leaders keeping in mind the assassination of former PM Benazir Bhutto during an election rally in Rawalpindi in 2007.
Lahore Capital City Police Officer Muhammad Amin Wains has ordered his department to take every possible step to ensure the safety of public ahead of Independence Day. He also directed to conduct search operations across the city, especially in Afghan colonies, bus stands, hotels and railway stations.
Meanwhile, Punjab’s Inspector General of Police Arif Nawaz Khan while addressing regional police officers conference at the central police office on Monday ordered the police to ensure traffic management and security arrangements during the rally.
“In the conference, security arrangements regarding the arrival rally of ex-PM Nawaz Sharif from Islamabad to Lahore were also discussed. [The] IGP Punjab has directed DIG Traffic Punjab to ensure alternate traffic arrangements so that citizens will face minimum problems in their routine life,” a police spokesman said.
According to the press statement issued from the central police office, the IGP also directed the officers that “public should be made aware regarding the alternate routes through media timely.”
The police chief also directed that RPOs and DPOs to not only prepare security and traffic plan themselves but all districts should have close liaison with each other regarding these arrangements. The IGP also directed to ensure smooth supply of food and water to the police personnel posted on the rally’s route.
