Security measures: 16,000 cops to guard Lahore in Muharram

Safety plan chalked out; diversions to be set for smooth traffic flow

LAHORE: At least 16,000 policemen will be deployed for three-layered security at imambargahs and processions in Lahore during the month of Muharram.

This was decided at a meeting of high-ranking police officials and Shia scholars at Qila Gujjar Singh Police Lines on Thursday.

It was decided that parking stands would be set up at least 100 metres away from the sites of majalis while diversion points would be set to maintain the flow of traffic during the congregations. Participants would only be allowed entry after being checked at three points.

At the first point, they would be frisked physically. At the second one, they would be checked with a metal detector and then would be asked to pass through walkthrough gates. All the roads and streets leading to the procession sites or majalis would be cordoned by barbed wire and barricades.

The police would also carry out search operations on a daily basis throughout the city, especially in nearby areas of imambargahs and majalis. Moreover, a special control room would be set up at the office of DIG Operations so that security arrangements could be monitored.

Safety measures

Arrangements would also be monitored through the CCTV cameras that would be installed at the sites of gatherings and procession routes.

Not only security gadgets would be monitoring security for the top, but snipers would be deployed at nearby rooftops to keep any suspicious activity from happening. The teams of Police Response Unit and Dolphin Squad would remain patrolling in areas to respond in case of any untoward situation.

The route and sites would be cleared by officials of the special branch, bomb disposal squad and sniffer dogs, before any activity starts.

While speaking on the occasion, CCPO Amin Wains ordered all the divisional SPs to discuss the plan with members of peace committees in their respective areas. He said the police officials will coordinate with the city district government, emergency services and other departments for the security of Muharram. Wains said they will arrange training of volunteers at Qila Gujjar Singh Police Lines.

Besides the CCPO, DIG Operations Dr Haider Ashraf, DIG Investigations Sultan Chaudhry, SSP operations, SSP investigations, headquarters SP, security SP, all the divisional SPs, Khawaja Basharat Karbalai, Agha Shah Hussain Qazalbash, Allama Mushtaq Hussain Jaffery and Toqeer Baba were also in attendance at the meeting.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 23^rd, 2016.