LAHORE - Police Thursday unveiled a security plan to maintain peace in Muharram.
Highlighting security steps, DIG (Operations) Ashfaq Kahn said more than 15,000 police will man mourning processions and sittings during the upcoming holy month.
The Army and Punjab Rangers and will back the city police and government for maintaining law and order during Ashura. All the important mourning processions will be provided cover of Elite Police as well.
“Six SPs, 35 DSPs, 84 inspectors, Jawans from ARF and SSU will be on duty,” DIG Ashfaq Khan said.
Surveys of procession routes and worship places and mock exercises have been held while flag marches will be held.
Meetings with allied departments have been conducted to ensure timely completion of arrangements and community leaders as well as parliamentarians have been taken into confidence to maintain peace during Muharram.
“There will be a complete ban on pillion riding and mobile service will also remain suspended for specific duration to avoid any untoward situation,” DIG Ashfaq Khan said. He said the most important and sensitive assignment of Lahore Police at this time is to provide foolproof security to all the mourning processions and related programs of Muharram-ul-Haram. Lahore Police has completed consultation with members of District and Local Peace Committees, Shia community, license holders of Majalis, religious and local representatives, traders, businessman and residents of the areas to ensure a peaceful atmosphere throughout Muharram-ul-Haram. The main processions will start from Nisar Havely and culminate at Karbala Gamay Shah. “Security audit of all streets, markets, shops, and residential areas alongside the main routes of the procession has been completed. Surety bonds and certificates have also been obtained from the related persons and residents of these areas.”
According to city police, “More than 8,000 CCTV cameras have been installed on all routes of the main processions by Punjab Safe Cities Authority to ensure non-stop monitoring.” The district administration has also completed almost all the arrangements regarding installation of monitoring cameras, roads patchwork, drainage, and proper lighting on the routes of processions.
The participants of Muharram processions will only be allowed to enter the venue after complete checking and body search at different point by police and volunteers with the help of metal detectors and walkthrough gates. Lady Police officers will check the female participants of the events in ladies search cabins. The entrances of all the streets falling under the routes of main procession will be closed with the help of barriers and bob-wires. Snipers will be installed on high roofs to monitor all the movements of the processions and any possible suspects. Dolphin squads and Police Response Unit teams will ensure effective patrolling around Imam Bargahs and routes of mourning processions.
The volunteers are also being provided necessary training of checking individuals under Community Policing at District Police Lines Qila Gujjar Singh. Police officials in plainclothes along with members of intelligence agency will also be employed on the routes of the processions to keep an eye on suspects.
Also, DIG Ashfaq Khan visited different Imam Bargahs in the city including Karbala Gamay Shah and Khaima-e-Sadaat to review security arrangements for the forthcoming Muharram-ul Haram. SP (City) Syed Ghazanfar Ali and SP (Civil Lines) Dost Muhammad accompanied the officer.
The DIG issued directions for timely completion all the security arrangements of Majalis and processions. Construction of bunkers at the roofs of Imam Bargahs, installation of walkthrough gates, and CCTV cameras along with provision of metal-detectors for search purposes should be ensured well before Muharram-ul-Haram, he directed. Lahore Police will ensure checking of all the suspicious persons at entry and exit points of the city including bus stands and railway station with the help of “Hotel Eye App”, he added. He further said that Lahore Police will continuously monitor the mourning processions through the CCTV cameras of Punjab Safe Cities Authorities.