1,520 imambargahs to be provided security during Muharram

Steps to be taken for strict vigilance along procession routes, says home minister

KARACHI: The police were directed on Sunday by Home Minister Sohail Anwar Siyal to ensure adequate forces were deployed to comply with the extraordinary security measures being instituted throughout the province.
Siyal issued these directives under the Muharram contingency plan. "Police emergency camps must be established along the routes of main mourning processions to ensure rapid response in case of any unwanted situation," he said.



Police officials must a keep check on the identities of outsiders staying at hotels, guest houses and other temporary residences, especially near bus terminals, railway stations, suburban and slums, said Siyal.
"Besides audio-visual recordings of the main majalis and processions, steps should be taken for strict vigilance at high-rise buildings along procession routes and parking areas," he said. Extensive police patrolling in sensitive areas, random snap-checking and advanced intelligence collection and its prompt sharing should be done as well, the home minister said.



"All possible steps should be taken for continuous vigil of places of majalis and processions, besides technical sweeping, scanning and clearance from the bomb disposal squads," he added.
According to the Muharram contingency plan, the police are ensuring strict security cover at over 1,520 imambargahs, around 12,700 majalis, 4,150 mourning processions and 1,400 tazia processions in Sindh. The security plan discloses that specific instructions have been given to ensure surveillance and monitoring activists of proscribed organisations, electronic and visual surveillance along with use of sniffer dogs for explosives detection.



He said that coordination meetings with religious leaders and clerics of different sects at range, zone, district and police station levels should be held for the implementation of the code of conduct and to maintain peace and harmony during Muharram.