Twin cities gear up to celebrate Eid Miladun Nabi

Police, administration lay out plans for managing processions, traffic

RAWALPINDI/ ISLAMABAD: As the people were preparing to celebrate the birth of Holy Prophet (PBUH) with fervour and traditional show and pomp, the police and administration were on tenterhooks for the provision of security.

Top officials in the federal capital and the garrison city have laid out elaborate plans for security and traffic management to avoid any untoward incident on the festive day of Eid Miladun Nabi.

Islamabad Police have chalked out an elaborate security plan for main procession of Eid Milad ul Nabi on Rabiul Awal 12 falling on Friday and strict patrolling will be ensured during procession and other religious gatherings in the city.

According to police plan finalised in meeting headed by SSP Sajid Kiani, 2,000 policemen including crack troops of Quick Response Force (QRF) and Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and police commandoes.

Contingents of paramilitary Rangers and Frontier Constabulary too will perform patrolling and security duties.

The main procession starting from Sector G-7 will be completely cordoned off through heavy deployment. Procession will move from Sitara Market and to culminate near shrine of Hazrat Sakhi Mehmud at Aabpara Market after passing through various routes, police said.

The SSP said all SPs, SDPOs, SHOs and other police officials will visit the routes of procession and ensure effective coordination among the security personnel performing duties.

Plainclothesmen of CID and Special Branch will spread out in and around the procession keeping their eyes peeled for any trouble.

Police and the civil administration have kept the organisers of Milad processions in loop to ensure better coordination of security measures.

Walk through gates will be installed at all the entry points of procession and metal detectors will be used for checking of participants.

The SSP directed patrolling officers to keep an eye on the bikers in their respective areas.

Security in Pindi

Rawalpindi Chief Police Officer Asrar Abbasi and Additional Deputy Commissioner Rao Atif Raza held a meeting of police and civil administration to oversee the arrangements on the eve of 12 Rabbiul Awwal and measures to control hate speech that might trigger sectarian strife.

CPO Abbassi called for strictly following the standard operational procedures (SOPs) with regard to processions and loudspeakers.

Assistant Commissioner Saddar Tasneem Ali Khan, AC Cantt Ambar Gillani, AC Gojar Khan Mehreen Faheem, DO Civil Defence Sanjeeda Khanum, ICECO Manager Raheel Khan, Municipal Corporation CO Khalid Javed Goraya, Rescue 1122 DEO Dr Abdul Rehman and authorities of all departments concerned were present in the meeting.

CPO Abbasi said that people working in the peace committees will also have to play their part to ensure religious harmony in the city.

He particularly asked the peace committee members and police officials to convince firebrand clerics to avoid hate speech.

ADC Raza issued orders to check the CCTV cameras and ensure that the surveillance system was properly working.

“Rescue 1122 ambulances will move with the procession,” he ordered. Raza also asked the representatives of WASA and WMC to ensure the availability of water and cleanliness on procession routes.

CPO Abbasi said as many as 3,500 policemen will be deployed in Rawalpindi. Of these, 1,500 policemen, traffic wardens, Punjab Constabulary, Elite Force, Special Branch, Mohafiz Squad, women police and volunteers would provide security cover to the main Eid Miladun Nabi procession of Rawalpindi city.

Representatives of Markazi Anjumane Tajran, District Peace, Milad and Seerat committees will accompany the procession.

Meanwhile in order to ensure the security to the faithful, City Traffic Police Rawalpindi have issued traffic plan for Eid Miladun Nabi.

Under the plan strict ban would be on parking of any vehicle or handcart at the route of the Milad processions, while additional force of traffic wardens would be deployed on city roads.

According to Rawalpindi City Traffic Officer Yousaf Ali Shahid, there would nearly 17 diversion points in the city to ensure the traffic flow. No tractor trolley, truck or any public service vehicle would be allowed near Milad processions.

The CTO urged the citizens to use alternative routes including Airport Road, Rialto Chowk, Tippu Road, Rawal Road and Murree Road ahead of Chandni Chowk to reach Islamabad.

The citizens can call at City Traffic Police helpline 1915 and 051-9272616 to know about the traffic situation on the city roads. They can also use www.facebook.com/ctprwp to get information about the traffic plan. (Translations by Laila Raza)

With additional input by APP

Published in The Express Tribune, December 1^st, 2017.