Capital top cop assures of foolproof security

Main procession in Islamabad to emerge and end at Sector G-6 Imambargah

ISLAMABAD: Foolproof measures have been taken to secure the central mourning procession on Muharram 9, said Islamabad Inspector General of Police Amir Zulfiqar during his visit to Sector G-6 Imamabargah Asna Ashra.

The main procession of the capital, as per tradition of the city, starts from Imamabargah Asna Ashra in Sector G-6 and culminates at the same point after passing through designated route.

IG Zulfiqar made a detailed review of security arrangements for the Imambargah and the procession. He was accompanied by DIG Operations Waqaruddin Syed, SSP Trafic, ASP and other senior officers.

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Policemen deployed for procession security should be provided with bullet proof vests, weapons and riot gear, he said.

Expressing satisfaction over the arrangements he directed senior officers to give comprehensive briefing to policemen before deploying them on Muharram security.

A heavy contingent of police and rangers personnel would walk alongside the procession while the whole activity would be monitored through closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras.

Cellular service in related sector would remain suspended from morning till culmination of procession while entire processional route would be blocked using barbed wires and containers.

Policemen personnel will also be deployed on rooftops of all buildings present on the route while all security measures would be reviewed by a helicopter.

The route will be thoroughly searched with help of latest technology and robots while all entrants of processions would be allowed entry after frisking.

The police have appealed to the participants to co-operate with the police to avert any untoward incident.

Flag march

Rawalpindi City Police Officer (CPO) Faisal Rana led a flag march of police in different parts of the city to display show of power before procession on Muharram on 7.

The flag march started from Police Line and culminated at the same point after marching on city roads including Muharram and Ashura processions.

The city police along with the contingents of Muhafaz Squad, Elite Force and Dolphin Force conducted a flag march with an objective to maintain peace and tranquility in the city during Muharram.

Further, the police have taken strict security measures for longest processional route in garrison city which will initiate from Sadiqabad while more than 2,000 police personnel would perform duties.

CPO said that flag march was conducted to make people realize that police force was on alert during Muharram. He added that leaves of all police personnel have been suspended in connection with the occasion.

Further, the spokesperson of Rawalpindi district administration said that home department of Punjab had banned assembly of five or more than five people until Muharram 10. However, he added that all licensed mourning processions, programmes would be immune from the ban.

He told that there would be complete restriction on standing on building roofs during the procession.

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Meanwhile, a total of six main processions of Zuljanah, Alam and Tazia will be taken out from different areas of city at different timings. The processions would culminate at 12pm at Imambargah Kadimi in Mohalla Imambara after passing through designated routes.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Secretary General Aamir Mahmood Kayani held a meeting with Rawalpindi Commissioner and RPO to discuss the preparations for Muharramul Haram processions.

PTI Vice President Zahid Kazmi, Punjab Minister Fayyaz Chauhan, Ijaz Khan Jazi and Yasser Humayun were also present during the meeting. MNA and MPA from Rawalpindi division were also part of the meeting. 

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