LAHORE - Tens of thousands of police will guard at least 2,564 churches across the Punjab province to ensure best security arrangements for Easter.

Punjab Inspector General of Police Arif Nawaz Khan on Friday ordered his force to take all possible measures to ensure foolproof security for worship places of minority. The IGP issued these directions while addressing the Regional Police Officers’ conference through video-link at the Central Police Office on Friday.

Punjab Additional-IG (Operations) Aamir Zulfiqar Khan, Rai Muhammad Tahir, DIG Zaeem Iqbal Sheikh, Sajjad Hassan Manj and AIG Imran Mahmood were present on this occasion while and all the regional police officer attended the conference via video link.

The police were also directed to intensify security searches around important markets, parks, and other public places. For security searches, the police would use CCTV cameras, walkthrough gates and metal detectors at the entry and exit points of all churches.

The IGP directed the officers to deploy snipers and plainclothesmen, in addition to police commandos, around churches so that the Christians community would perform their religious rites fearlessly.

He said that a new security plan for courts should also be implemented under the supervision of all RPOs and DPOs keeping in mind best security measures for judges, lawyers, and citizens.  He said that strength of security personnel deployed at the entry and exit points of courts should be increased. Similarly, no one should be allowed entry in the courts without complete search with the help of walkthrough and metal detectors.

The IGP said that patrolling system of Dolphin force and Police Response Units during the duty time of courts should be made more efficient. He further said that a special monitoring officer should be appointed for efficient monitoring of security plan in every district.

The provincial police chief also ordered the police to ensure extraordinary security arrangements on the eve of Birthday of Hazrat Ali (RA). The police security should be heightened to protect at least 680 processions and sittings to be held in connection with the Birthday of Hazrat Ali (RA).

On this occasion, Punjab Additional-IG Aamir Zulfiqar Khan briefed the police chief about the security measures taken for the upcoming events. He said that more than 30,000 police were being deployed across the province at guard at least 2564 churches on the Easter. He said that security monitoring of sensitive churches would be ensured through CCTV cameras.

The officers during the conference also reviewed the important cases related to terrorism, murder, kidnapping for ransom and dacoity. The police were also directed to step up crackdown on the most wanted criminals and proclaimed offenders.

The police chief directed the RPOs that in view of threat alerts, the police should launch search, combing, and intelligence based operations in all districts. He said that there should be a strict vigilance over activities of defunct organizations and individual placed in the fourth schedule of the anti-terrorism act.  Arif Nawaz Khan also directed the field officers that policemen deployed on security duties should be briefed carefully about the importance of duty and sensitivity with respect to current circumstances so that they would perform their duties enthusiastically and diligently.