MULTAN/HAFIZABAD-The police department have finalised security arrangements for the upcoming martyrdom day of Hazrat Ali (RA) under which over 2,700 personnel will be deployed to safeguard 14 processions and 78 congregations (majalis) in four districts of Multan Region.
Police sources disclosed that 1,951 cops will safeguard processions and 818 congregations in Multan, Lodhran, Khanewal and Lodhran. According to details, as many as nine congregations will take place in Multan, 33 in Vehari, 23 in Khanewal and 13 in district Lodhran while 10 processions will be taken out in Multan and two in Lodhran.
Regional Police Officer (RPO) Waseem Ahmad Khan said that snipers would be deployed at the rooftops on routes of the processions along with commandoes in plainclothes. He said that all mourners would have to pass through walkthrough gates and they would be frisked with metal detectors before being allowed to enter majalis. He directed the officers concerned to increase search, sweeping, combing and patrolling in their respective areas and utilise all out resources to offer four-layer security to the processions and majalis. He urged upon the people to keep eye on their surroundings and immediately inform police in case they located any suspicious person or article.
Meanwhile, CPO Imran Mehmood disclosed the district police are going to deploy snipers on routes of processions of Youm-e-Shahadat Hazrat Ali.
He said that strict security arrangements are being adopted to ensure peace on the day and all shops on the routes of processions would be shut down. He directed the security personnel to carry out search and sweep operations at the routes of the processions to avert any unpleasant incident. He directed all SPs to personally supervise sweeping operations and visit the routes of the processions. He declared that the CCTV monitoring of all processions would be done from the beginning till end.
Meanwhile, DC Aamir Khattak visited the routes along with the CPO and reviewed security arrangements. He directed all concerned departments to make foolproof arrangements and set up their camps on the routes.
In Hafizabad, Youm-e-Ali (RA) would be observed on Monday with usual religious reverence. Two processions would be taken out each in Hafizabad city and Rasulpur Tarar. The district administration and police have made foolproof security arrangements and would deploy 200 policemen. Moreover, all roads en route the processions would be sealed.
DPO Sajid Kiani and DC Naveed Shahzad Mirza have appealed to local Ulema, members of Peace Committee, traders and members of civil society to keep vigilant eye on the disruptive ailments so as to ensure that no unpleasant incident occur. They said that control rooms in DC and DPO offices have been setup and Rescue-1122, Civil Defence, Health Department and Municipal personnel would remain with the processions and in the Majalis.