Rawalpindi police finalise arrangements for Ashura
Route of main procession completely sealed, police chief orders aerial, CCTV and drone monitoring
PHOTO: APP
RAWALPINDI:
The Rawalpindi district police have finalised security arrangements for Ashura while 7,000 cops will provide security cover to the processions besides special traffic arrangements to regulate traffic load.
The district police have finalised all the arrangements to provide fool proof security to the mourners.
According to City Police Officer (CPO) Rawalpindi Abbas Ahsan, all arrangements for the security of Ashura processions have been finalised.
He said strict monitoring of the procession will be conducted as Close Circuit Television (CCTV) Cameras have been installed at the route of processions.
The mourners will only be allowed to join the processions from different entry points and Quick Response Force would also be deployed for the protection of the mourners, he told.
The CPO told that special contingents of commandos and police officials will be deployed on sensitive points.
Walk-through gates will be installed for main mourning procession, he said, adding that the police officials will use metal detectors along with the private guards of the Imambargahs and mourning procession managements.
Every participant of the processions, he told will be checked properly.
According to the security plan formulated in this regard, aerial surveillance of Ashura processions will be conducted. Special drone cameras will also be used to monitor the main procession.
Special checking of the route of the procession would be completed before start of the procession and bomb disposal squad will clear the route.
The route of the main procession would be sealed completely.
A police spokesman informed that special search and combing operations are being conducted by the police in different areas.
Special training sessions for police and private volunteers were also organised in Police Line Headquarters in which the participants were briefed about security and imparted training. Control rooms have also been established at regional and district level.
The district administration has banned the entry of 33 ulema belonging to different sects in the district and issued gagging orders for eight other scholars and zakireen with a view to maintain peace and inter-faith harmony during Muharramul Haram.
Special Helpline No 2363 will remain active for Muharram processions and Majalis, being held during first to 30th Muharram in Rawalpindi district.
Total 447 processions including 60 of the category A, 79 of category B and 308 of C category are being organised.
Similarly, 275 Majalis of A category, 371 of B category and 1270 of C category are included in total 1,916 Majalis of the district.
The main Muharram processions of the district are taken out on 7th Muharram and Ashura.
He said police check posts have been established at all entry and exit points of the district while Muhafiz Squad and Elite Force patrolling has also been enhanced in different areas to avert any untoward incident.
Special contingents of Army and Rangers have also been deployed in sensitive areas, he told.
He said parking of vehicles and motorcycles would be banned along the route of the mourning procession while all traffic proceeding towards the route of the procession would be diverted to other routes.
The Police Officers have also been directed to block entry of vehicles on the route of the procession by erecting barricades and other hurdles.
He said that negligence on part of Police officials would not be tolerated and all out efforts should be made to facilitate the mourners and general public as well.
CPO Rawalpindi Abbas Ahsan and Deputy Commissioner Rawalpindi Dr Umer Jahangir checked all security arrangements made for 7th Muharram on Tuesday night.
They also visited special control room established at TMA office for Muharram and reviewed the arrangements.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 21st, 2018.
The Rawalpindi district police have finalised security arrangements for Ashura while 7,000 cops will provide security cover to the processions besides special traffic arrangements to regulate traffic load.
The district police have finalised all the arrangements to provide fool proof security to the mourners.
According to City Police Officer (CPO) Rawalpindi Abbas Ahsan, all arrangements for the security of Ashura processions have been finalised.
He said strict monitoring of the procession will be conducted as Close Circuit Television (CCTV) Cameras have been installed at the route of processions.
The mourners will only be allowed to join the processions from different entry points and Quick Response Force would also be deployed for the protection of the mourners, he told.
The CPO told that special contingents of commandos and police officials will be deployed on sensitive points.
Walk-through gates will be installed for main mourning procession, he said, adding that the police officials will use metal detectors along with the private guards of the Imambargahs and mourning procession managements.
Every participant of the processions, he told will be checked properly.
According to the security plan formulated in this regard, aerial surveillance of Ashura processions will be conducted. Special drone cameras will also be used to monitor the main procession.
Special checking of the route of the procession would be completed before start of the procession and bomb disposal squad will clear the route.
The route of the main procession would be sealed completely.
A police spokesman informed that special search and combing operations are being conducted by the police in different areas.
Special training sessions for police and private volunteers were also organised in Police Line Headquarters in which the participants were briefed about security and imparted training. Control rooms have also been established at regional and district level.
The district administration has banned the entry of 33 ulema belonging to different sects in the district and issued gagging orders for eight other scholars and zakireen with a view to maintain peace and inter-faith harmony during Muharramul Haram.
Special Helpline No 2363 will remain active for Muharram processions and Majalis, being held during first to 30th Muharram in Rawalpindi district.
Total 447 processions including 60 of the category A, 79 of category B and 308 of C category are being organised.
Similarly, 275 Majalis of A category, 371 of B category and 1270 of C category are included in total 1,916 Majalis of the district.
The main Muharram processions of the district are taken out on 7th Muharram and Ashura.
He said police check posts have been established at all entry and exit points of the district while Muhafiz Squad and Elite Force patrolling has also been enhanced in different areas to avert any untoward incident.
Special contingents of Army and Rangers have also been deployed in sensitive areas, he told.
He said parking of vehicles and motorcycles would be banned along the route of the mourning procession while all traffic proceeding towards the route of the procession would be diverted to other routes.
The Police Officers have also been directed to block entry of vehicles on the route of the procession by erecting barricades and other hurdles.
He said that negligence on part of Police officials would not be tolerated and all out efforts should be made to facilitate the mourners and general public as well.
CPO Rawalpindi Abbas Ahsan and Deputy Commissioner Rawalpindi Dr Umer Jahangir checked all security arrangements made for 7th Muharram on Tuesday night.
They also visited special control room established at TMA office for Muharram and reviewed the arrangements.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 21st, 2018.