Security tightened on BB’s death anniversary

LARKANA - The 7th death anniversary of slain Pakistan People’s Party chairperson Benazir Bhutto will be observed on Saturday (today) at Naudero and Garhi Khuda Bux amid tight security with 700 police, Rangers and commandos.
The security has specifically been intensified after the wall-chalking of the militant group Islamic State (IS) appeared in Larkana a day before the event.
The wall-chalking appeared in a youth hostel in Sachal Colony.
In Garhi Khuda Bux and Naudero, 7,000 policemen and commandos including 300 policewomen and Rangers will be deployed to provide foolproof security to the workers, leaders, supporters and sympathisers of the PPP.
All arrangements have been completed to observe the death anniversary of Benazir Bhutto. Walk-through gates will be installed at all the entry points and all participants will be physically checked for which a detailed security plan has already been devised. As many as 200 check-posts have also been established along all the routes leading to Garhi Khuda Bux where police patrolling has been intensified.
Senior police officers are monitoring through watch towers and sniffer dogs. Aerial monitoring of all the participants will be made. CCTV cameras will also be installed in Naudero and around the Bhutto’s mausoleum. The traffic police will ensure smooth flow of traffic during the event. A control room has also been established by the police to monitor the situation and keep a vigil on the performance of security personnel.
Bomb disposal squad, bomb detectors, scanners, jammers, sniffer dogs, 45 walk-through gates with police vehicles and mobile units are put on alert. In this regard, medical and welcome camps and 60 fire fighting vehicles have been deployed at various locations. The medical team along with the mobile hospitals and ambulances will present there to serve the public, said the officials.
Moreover, former president and co-chairman of Pakistan People’s Party, Asif Ali Zardari along with her daughter Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari visited the Garhi Khuda Bux and laid floral wreaths on the graves of PPP founder Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, and slain PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto, and offered Fateha. Zardari also visited the graves of Begum Nusrat Bhutto, Mir Murtaza Bhutto and Mir Shahnawaz Bhutto and placed floral wreaths.
Strict security arrangements were made on the occasion. People inside the Bhutto mausoleum were asked to vacate the mausoleum immediately by the police. Hundreds of old PPP workers led by veteran leader Dr Safdar Abbasi also offered Fateha on the graves.

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