Tahir Niaz & Israr Ahmed
islamabad/rawalpindi - The contingents of Pakistan army have virtually taken control of parts of the capital city ahead of the Pakistan Day military parade to be held on March 23rd by erecting check posts at certain points leading to the parade avenue near Faizabad.
The security has been put on high alert in the capital due to possible threats of retaliation by the militants to the military parade. “All security structures in the capital have been put on high alert and the number of patrols has been doubled.
Police and Rangers officials and security agencies’ officials continued patrolling around the parade avenue near Faizabad and other important installations in view to thwart any potential threat keeping in view recently occurred terrorist activities across the country,” said sources in the local police.
Security forces’ personnel, FC, police and Pak army were seen on continuous patrol around high profile points in the city with most focus around the parade avenue.
Police and Rangers’ vehicles kept snap checking all the daylong and made arrests of suspected people. “All police stations and police outposts will remain on alert until March 23 to prevent any possible attacks,” said the police sources.
Police deployment at crowded bus terminals and city markets has been increased. The ICT administration has temporarily closed all the seminaries and schools around the parade avenue.
The seminaries in capital sectors as G, I, and H and Murree Road and Margalla town have been closed with the police enhancing search in the area. It is to mention here that a high level meeting a day earlier had discussed the security plan for the parade.
According to the sources, the Interior Ministry has also asked all the provinces to put law enforcers at high alert as according to a threat alert issued to them, terrorists may strike in other parts of the country as well on the occasion of Pakistan Day parade.
The alert has been issued in the light of intelligence reports from the security agencies.
On the other hand, the mobile phone users are facing difficulty in connectivity due to the jammers and the cellular companies, through an SMS, have regretted for any inconvenience in this regard.
The police have unveiled the comprehensive security plan devised for guarding the participants of Parade Day on March 23 and to maintain law and order situation in the city.
According to security plan, some 2,000 personnel of police, including officers would perform security duty to avoid any untoward incident on Parade Day, informed police spokesman on Thursday.
He said following the instructions of City Police Officer (CPO) Israr Ahmed Khan Abbasi Rawalpindi police have prepared a foolproof security plan for shielding the participants of Parade Day. He said that more than 2,000 personnel of police have been deployed at sensitive localities to keep a vigil on suspects and to control law and order situation.
He said that the police force would be assisted by personnel of Special Branch, Traffic Police, Elite Force Commandoes, ladies police and horse riding police Jawans.
The whole city would be sealed on March 23 with erecting police pickets at all exit and entry points. The Station House Officers of areas concerned would patrol the areas whereas SDPOs and SPs would monitor the patrolling. He informed that well-equipped police commandoes have been deputed on rooftops of the buildings located in sensitive areas to avoid any untoward incident on March 23.
Meanwhile, police conducted search operation within the limits of R.A Bazaar. During the search operation, 65 houses were checked while 120 people interrogated.
Police also registered cases against seven house owners and tenants under 11 Punjab Information of Temporary Residence 2015 for not providing details to police the information of giving houses on rent and tenants.
On the other hand, Rawalpindi Traffic Police also announced traffic plan for March 23 Parade Day.
According to the plan announced by Chief Traffic Officer Shoaib Khurram Janbaz, the traffic flow would be controlled by  340 traffic officers, including 40 junior wardens, 14 inspectors and 5 DSPs.