Strict checking of vehicles entering Pindi ordered

Says cops at picket to be held responsible if arms slip through into district

RAWALPINDI: Police pickets will be set up on all entry and exit points of Rawalpindi for checking vehicles for weapons, Chief Police Officer DIG Mohammad Faisal Rana said.

The police chief of Rawalpindi division ordered strict inspection of all vehicles entering the division from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab.

“There will be rechecking of vehicles entering the tourist area of Murree. If a vehicle enters the boundary of Rawalpindi with weapons, then the policemen deputed at the respective points will be sent to jail and will be considered the facilitator of the said weapon carrier,” CPO Rana said.

He issued instructions to police officers in a high-level meeting regarding security matters in police lines.

SSP Operation Syed Ali Akbar, SSP Investigation Mohammad Faisal, SP Saddar Division Rai Mazhar Iqbal, SP Potohar Division Syed Ali, SP Rawal Division Akram Khan Niazi and other related police officers were present in attendance.

CPO Rana said intensive and foolproof security arrangements have been made for Eid ul-Adha and celebrations of Independence Day being arriving side by side, the vacations of police officers and officials had already been cancelled.

He said more than 9,000 police personnel have been put on stand-by at the Police Lines Rawalpindi to respond promptly in case of emergency.

There is a security high-alert in Rawalpindi district, the police chief said asserting, “We must not allow the entry of arms into the Rawalpindi district.”

The CPO directed that, strict police blockade should be done on all entry points of Rawalpindi district, including Peshawar and Azad Kashmir, the Police should check every vehicle entering the district in line with the stipulated SOP; If illegal Weapons are recovered from any such vehicle, the said vehicle should be taken in the custody of Police at once with the registration of cases against those possessing the said Arms along with their apprehension in this regard. The CPO said there is a ban on the entry of any vehicle using black and tinted glass in Rawalpindi. No matter who is sitting in the vehicle with black glasses, he shall fail to enter Rawalpindi. The CPO said that vehicles entering Murree will be rechecked so that even if any vehicle carrying any kind of illegal arms secretly enters the boundary of Rawalpindi, it shall be prevented from entering into Murree.

“I am monitoring all the arrangements myself. I will check the police pickets myself on the occasion of Eidul Azha and Independence Day. Police officers and officials will face severe departmental accountability in cases of any negligence or indolence being found on their part,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 8^th, 2019.