Chehlum security: Over 14,000 cops deployed for guarding processions

Ten companies of Army, four of Rangers will also secure the routes

RAWALPINDI: The security arrangements have been finalised to observe Chehlum of Imam Hussain (RA) on October 30 with religious fervour and devotion, informed police spokesman on Sunday.

As many as 14,000 policemen would be deployed while 10 companies of Pakistan Army and four companies of Rangers would also be deployed on the occasion.

Under the security arrangements, no one would be allowed to stand on rooftops of commercial and residential buildings situated along the procession routes.

Special checking of the routes would be carried out before start of the procession, whereas the mourners would be checked with metal detectors and walk-through gates installed at the entry points.

Besides, aerial surveillance would also carry out of the procession.

Meanwhile, The City Traffic police has chalked out special plan for public and private transport to alternate routes for smooth flow of traffic.

The main procession would be taken out from Colonel Maqbool Imambargah, which culminated at the Imambargah Qadeemi after passing through its designated route. The old Imambargah is the central point where all processions gathered from different localities.

Fool proof security plan has been prepared to maintain peace and order on the occasion of the Chehlum of the martyrs Karbala.

Rawalpindi district administration and police have obtained permission to check and secure houses and markets on the routes of processions.

According to the security plan prepared on the instructions of CPO Rawalpindi Abbas Ahsan, apart from district police, personnel from Elite Force, Special Branch, Women Police, Muhaffiz Force, Razakar and Aman Committee will also perform their duties.

Before procession and majalis, searching and sweeping will be conducted through special branch. Houses and markets on the routes of the procession will be asked for a certificate that they are not providing shelter to any stranger or extremist person in their houses or market. Walkthrough gate will be used for entering the procession and later physical search will be conducted through metal detectors on different locations.

Sabeel and langar will be checked specially. Parking of any type won’t be allowed on procession route, roof top duty will be performed on procession’s route. A control room has been created especially for the security of main procession. Suspicious people will be strictly monitored.

Mourning processions for Chehlum of Karbala martyrs would travel from seven key routes of the city on Tuesday.

The processions would take their customary routes and end at Imambargah Qadeemi at around 10pm in the night. In order to ensure fool proof security for the processions, the authorities on Sunday instaled 500 close circuit cameras on different points of the routes.

The first procession would emerge from Imambargah Ashiq Hussain Teli Mohalla at 11am in the morning. The Zuhrain prayers would be held at Fowwara Chowk while Magrhibain would be held at Jama Masjid Road. Security arrangements have been completed while army and rangers have also been deployed. The security agencies would hold a flag march on Monday.

Traffic plan

The Rawalpi ndi city traffic police have also finalised the plan for the Chehlum according to which diversions would be erected at 33 different points of Rawalpindi on Tuesday.

According to Chief Traffic Officer Muhammad bin Ashraf, six DSPs, 12 inspectors, 203 wardens and 31 traffic assistants would perform duties during the Chehlum. He said that diversions would be placed on October 30 to ensure smooth flow of traffic in the city.

Bin Ashraf further said that route from Help Committee Chowk to Iqbal Road would be closed for all kinds of traffic to help the citizens on October 30 while diversion would be placed at DAV College Chowk and traffic would not be allowed to take the College Road. Traffic would also be diverted at Naya Mohalla Chowk at the arrival of the procession and vehicles would not be allowed to take the route from DAV College Chowk to Fawwara Chowk, bin Ashraf said in statement released to the media.

Traffic between Novelty Cinema Chowk to Kashmiri Bazar would be diverted towards Transit Camp Saddar. Another diversion would be placed at the U-turn adjacent to City Police Station and all traffic would be led towards Gunjmandi Road, Dhok Hasso Pir Wadahi and Saddar. Similarly, a diversion is being set at Shah Allah Ditta Road and traffic would be returned to Dhok Dalal, TB Hospital, Pir Wadahi and Asghar Mall Scheme Chowk. During the procession, the traffic from Bani Chowk towards Kurtapura Jama Masjid Road would also be suspended.

A diversion would be placed near the bakery near Bani Chowk and its traffic and the traffic from the link roads would be directed to Syedpur Road and Circular Road towards Murree Road.

A diversion is also being set at Hamliton Chowk and traffic towards Dangi Khoyi and Bansawala Chowk would not be allowed and diverted to Gunjamandi. A diversion would be placed at Bansawala Chowk and traffic towards Jama Masjid Road would be diverted back towards Pir Dohayi. Another diversion would be placed at Pir Choha Chowk and traffic towards Qadeemi Imambargah Baltistania would be diverted back to Asghar Mall Scheme Chowk and Pir Dohayi road.

Cleanliness plan

Rawalpindi Waste Management Company (RWMC) Managing Director Rizwan Sherdil has directed to clean the routes for Chehlum of Imam Hussain (AS). The construction material and debris would be removed before the Muharram processions start on their respective routes.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, October 29^th, 2018.