Commissioner orders special security measures for Christmas

Officials directed to secure civic facilities around churches, Christian neighbourhoods

KARACHI: The city administration on Saturday ordered strict security arrangements for churches to ensure that the Christian community can celebrate Christmas in a festive and peaceful manner.

The decision was taken at a meeting held at Karachi Commissioner's office to review arrangements for the security and civic facilities around the churches and in neighbourhoods where the Christian community resides. The meeting was attended by all deputy commissioners, senior police officials, and officials from the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), district municipal corporations (DMCs), Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), traffic police, water and sewerage board, and others. MPA Anthony Naveed, other religious and social leaders from the community, including Father Saleh Diego, Father Mario Rodrigues, Father Ashir Iftikhar, Antony D'Silva, Saleem Michael and Pervaiz Gill, were also present at the meeting. It was decided that all civic agencies would make special arrangements to ensure cleanliness around the churches and install street lights as well on the occasion. The water board was asked to make special arrangements to ensure water supply to the churches and Christian neighbourhoods. Traffic police was asked to make traffic arrangements at the churches so no traffic congestion takes place around the churches.



It was also decided that all deputy commissioners will hold meetings with relevant agencies as well as members of the Christian community to review and finalise arrangements with regards to civic facilities in their respective districts. Karachi Commissioner Iftikhar Ali Shalwani asked officials of district administrations to maintain close coordination and provide maximum cooperation to the community.

Shalwani also directed K-Electric (KE) to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply to the churches and neighbourhoods. He said that KE should avoid load-shedding and make alternative arrangements to provide uninterrupted electric supply to the churches so that the community can celebrate the festival without any disruption.  

Published in The Express Tribune, December 16^th, 2018.