Muharram security: Central control room set up in Gilgit

Hotline established for citizens to report suspicious activities

GILGIT: The provincial home department has set up a central control room in Gilgit to ensure better coordination among security officials during Muharram.

“The home secretary will be personally supervising Muharram  activities from the room,” an official said on Saturday.

Apart from coordinating with security officials deployed in Gilgit, the control room will keep close contact and liaison with other control rooms which have been set up in each district.

The superintendent police (SPs) and deputy commissioners (DC) in all 10 districts of Gilgit-Baltistan have been instructed to ensure their compliance.

Helpline set up

Apart from the control room,  authorirites have also set up a helpline which would allow citizens to phone in and report suspicious or malicious activity.

Meanwhile security has been beefed up in the entire region with  police and other security forces increasing their patrolling.

Earlier, the G-B government had made a major breakthrough by securing support from the Sunni community to maintain peace on Ashura.

During a meeting between police officials, Shia elders and representatives of the local Sunni communities, the Sunnis had agreed to lend their support by organising Sabeel (water facility) and to maintain security for processions passing through their areas.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 9^th, 2016.