Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi: Strict security arrangements made for Islamabad

Several major roads to be blocked for the procession’s passage.

ISLAMABAD: More than 1,500 police personnel will be deployed for the security of the city’s sensitive places and the Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi procession. Eighty-four Frontier Constabulary (FC) personnel and 138 Rangers will also assist.

Superintendent of Police City Zone Haroon Joya will supervise the security arrangements of the main procession and will be assisted by Deputy Superintendent City Circle Ahmed Iqbal and the Station House Officer of the Aabpara police station.

According to the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), more than 1,300 policemen will remain engaged for security duties during the procession on various routes along with FC men.

The SSP said that parking spaces will be arranged at a good distance from the procession routes, with proper security arrangements. Metal detectors as well as walk-through gates will be fixed at various entry and exit points of the processions.

The police officials on duty will be forbidden from leaving their specified places before the end of the procession. An advance police party will move on foot ahead of the procession. The procession will be completely covered by the policemen from the front and rear side.

Special walk-through gates will be installed and the streets will be plugged so that no outsider can enter into the procession. Policemen will be deployed on roof-tops and will also patrol in cars to ensure safety.

Police reserves will remain on stand-by for assistance. All police officers and men deployed on duty would be required to display their service-cards on their chests.

Bomb Disposal Squad will ensure technical sweeping at the routes and venues. Plain-clothes police officials will keep watch on “suspicious persons” while monitoring cameras will be installed along the routes.

Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP) will also deploy 139 policemen at various locations to ensure the smooth flow of traffic.

ITP has also asked the citizens of Islamabad to cooperate with them. Residents of sector G-7 should use Faisal Avenue and Khayaban-e-Suharwardy while residents of G-6 should use Embassy Road and Jinnah Avenue on 12 Rabiul Awal.

Moreover, Kashmir Highway from Chand Tara chowk to Dhokri chowk and Khayaban-e-Suharwardy from 7th Avenue to Garden road G-6/4 will remain closed from 4pm to 6pm on the day.

Similarly, Municipal Road from GPO chowk to Aabpara chowk will also remain closed for all type of traffic.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 16^th, 2011.