Eid prep: Comprehensive plan in place for city’s security, says AIG

Orders zonal, district police chiefs to establish control room to monitor law and order during Eidul Azha

KARACHI: As threats of terrorism and violence loom large over the city, particularly fear over the collection of hides of the sacrificial animals, the Karachi police have chalked out a strategy to maintain law and order in the city during the three days of Eidul Azha.

The Karachi police have issued a comprehensive plan for the city’s security as 16,150 police contingents will be deployed to guard worship places and measures have been taken to ensure effective patrolling.

According to the security plan, the contingents will provide security to 3,143 masjids, 207 imambargahs, 34 Ismaili and Bohra community jamaat-khanas, 439 congregations where Eid prayers will be offered, 222 places where combined sacrifices of animals will take place and 794 hide collection camps.

Moreover, Karachi additional IG Mushtaq Mahar issued directives to the zonal and district police chiefs that a control room be established to monitor the situation of Eidul Azha and to ensure sufficient police force deployment at all masjids, imambargahs, Eidgahs and open places where Eid prayers will be offered.



“Zonal police chiefs, supervisory police officers and Station House Officers should arrange meetings with welfare organisations, management of masjids and imambargahs and traders’ associations to take them on board regarding the sensitivity of the situation,” ordered Mahar, encouraging them to engage private security guards, deploy their own volunteers and to keep an eye out for suspicious elements.

Special arrangements and deployment of police personnel at shopping centres for the safety and security of the public were also ordered by Mahar, who added that it should be ensured that no slips or receipts are given to any house or person before Eid for the collection of hides.

The city police chief made it clear that activists, members of any political parties, religious groups or volunteers of any welfare organisations should not be allowed to visit people’s houses and forcibly collect hides of their sacrificial animals. The set-up of street camps for the collection of hides should not be allowed, he warned.

“All activists of militants and sectarian groups should be kept under surveillance and no proscribed organisation should be allowed to collect hides,” stated Mahar, calling for effective patrolling through police mobiles, motorcycles and patrolling on foot to be deployed at all sensitive areas and points.

“A bomb disposal squad should be kept ready round the clock to efficiently react to any untoward situation and a post-blast plan should be checked,” he said, adding that proper security arrangements to guard against terrorism and maintain law and order should be made at beaches and public parks, where festivals are held.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 12^th, 2016.