Police warns of swift action against schools

Foolproof security for schools set to remember Peshawar carnage

LAHORE: Police on Thursday warned to take swift action against educational institutions that failed to implement security measures in accordance with the SOP formulated in this regard.

The warning came at a meeting in Qila Gujjar Singh where 400 administrators of various schools were briefed on the SOP. The initiative was taken in wake of a possibility of a terrorist strike on any educational institute in the run up to the anniversary of December 16’s Peshawar carnage. Police also vowed to make foolproof security arrangements at schools where homage would be paid to those martyred in the carnage.

The SOP on school security was also reviewed at the meeting. CCPO Amin Wains and Operations DIG Haider Ashraf directed the administrators to install panic buttons at school premises.

They also instructed them to align their SIMS with the buttons and the centralised control system to ensure quick police action in case of any untoward institution following the communication of secret codes.

The officials also directed the administrators to raise the walls of school premises and place barbed wire on top of them. Wains and Ashraf also directed them to install walkthrough gates and expedite the provision of metal detectors to ensure that those wanting to enter school premises were frisked.

They also instructed them to have backgrounds of guards screened by the Special Branch on priority. Wains also ordered an immediate security audit of school premises on the occasion. He said no laxity would be tolerated on this account.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 11^th, 2015.