LAHORE - Amid serious security threats, the provincial police have finalized a comprehensive security plan for mourning processions on the eve of Youm-e-Ali (R.A.) to be observed on Thursday (tomorrow).
Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mushtaq Ahmed Sukhera has directed the police to beef up security on all routes of processions to be taken out in the metropolis on the eve of Martyrdom anniversary of Hazrat Ali (R.A).
A police spokesperson said on Tuesday that at least 38356 police officers and officials including 747 private volunteers and officials of 887 peace committees would perform security duties on the occasion of Youm-e-Ali R.A.
The police are ordered to ensure complete scanning of the all routes besides providing three-layer security to the participants in 181 processions and 863 Majalis. Heavy police contingents would also be deployed in the most sensitive localities.
While addressing a video conference of regional police officers (RPOs) at the central police office on Tuesday, IGP Mushtaq Ahmad Sukhera directed the field officers that the standard operating procedure must be followed and fully implemented.
All the RPOs and DPOs were present on video link, whereas, Additional-IG (Operations) Arif Nawaz, Additional-IG Special Branch Dr Arif Mushtaq, Lahore CCPO Muhammad Amin Wains, Punjab DIG Operations Aamir Zulfiqar Khan also attended the conference besides other officers.
According to an official handout, all processions and Majalis will be monitored through 382 CCTV Cameras while police will use at least 2805 metal detectors and 122 walkthrough gates for physical scanning of the participants. It was decided in the conference that security and surveillance of the holy places would be heightened during the last 10 days of Ramazan particularly during Traveeh prayers and Aitakaf. The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), Special Branch, and other agencies were also directed to keep constant and close liaison for intelligence sharing with the field police officers.
Security of the Chinese experts working on various development projects was also discussed in detail and it was decided that the district police officers (DPOs) would personally monitor the foreigners’ security in their respective districts.