Standard operating procedures: Bus operators ordered to keep top notch security

Police say security will be increased on vehicles, boarding terminals

PESHAWAR:

The counter-terrorism department (CTD) recorded the statement of the bus driver who escaped the attack on Wednesday with nominal injuries.

In the statement, driver Farid Gul stated the bus started its journey from Dargai area, but he was not driving it. Instead, it was his helper who was behind the wheel, while Farid was picked up from Sher Garh village.

“They made 20 stops after starting their journey from Dargai, picking up and dropping passengers along the route,” a police official told The Express Tribune. He said the last two stops were at Cantt Railway Station and FC Chowk where they dropped several people. “There was no security mechanism as they were not expecting any such attack,” he said.

SOPs

A meeting has been called for Monday with all 30 bus drivers that come to Hayatabad each morning with government employees, students, traders and people from different districts.  People from Malakand, Charsadda, Swabi, Mardan and other districts come to the province aboard these buses. “There are around 30 buses that come to Hayatabad alone and they leave in the evening, taking these passengers back. They park on the roads around the PDA building,” said ASP Hassan Afzal.

He said there was no immediate plan to stop this service, but proper standard operating procedures would be framed during the meeting.

“We called a meeting earlier, but these drivers were not ready so now it is likely to take place on Monday,” he said. The ASP added some interim instructions had been issued to them.

“They have been told not to leave their vehicles unattended or unguarded as they often sleep in them after parking by the roadside,” the police official said. “The SHO and I visited them and the drivers were told not to take any passengers not known to them without a proper body and luggage check.” Afzal said that authorities would try to have security arrangements increased on these buses in Monday’s meeting.

Bus stand security

A meeting of transporters operating from general bus stands and police was held here at the Malik Saad Shaheed Lines on Thursday afternoon. It was attended by more than 40 representatives, including the managers of bus stands in the city, and other transporters.

The meeting was chaired by SSP Operation Abbas Majeed Marwat and also attended by SPs.

During the meeting, the managers were asked to install closed circuit cameras and make videos of passengers at the start of the journey.

They were also told to install walkthrough gates, metal detectors and establish a comprehensive mechanism to checking the luggage and passengers. The managers were told to registers all the passengers and their luggage. Talking to The Express Tribune, Cantt SP Kashif Zulfiqar said the SSP urged managers to improve security and implement these SOPs.

He said some managers informed police about their financial constraints, but they were told about the gravity of the situation.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 18^th, 2016.