With two blasts occurring in a month, the Rawalpindi police have finalised a security plan for Christmas under which all 159 churches in the district have been divided into three categories as per threat of likely terror attacks.
Under the plan, as many as 2,800 police personnel including Elite Force commandoes will be deployed to ensure foolproof security of the Christian worship sites.
The security of the churches will be monitored through closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras. A control room will be set up where all institutions will work jointly to keep an eye on the security arrangements.
Sources in the Rawalpindi police said sharpshooters will be deployed on the rooftops of different buildings while walk-through gates will be established at entry points of all Churches on Christmas Eve.
The City Traffic Police (CTP) will make arrangements for parking vehicles for the visitors of the churches and all parking lots will be set up some 100 feet away from the current parking spaces of the churches.
Sources said that the police and other law enforcement agencies have divided 159 churches into A, B, and C categories according to the sensitivity of the area they are located in. The churches falling in A-category will have additional personnel.
The worshipers will be checked at three points. The roads adjoining the entry points of the churches will be sealed off with barbed wire while elite commandos and sniper-shooters will be stationed atop buildings.
The police vans equipped with cameras will also remain stationed outside the churches during Christmas Eve.
Sources added that senior police officials would make surprise visits to churches on the festivity day to check security arrangements and attendance of police personnel.
Christian Community demands security
Meanwhile, the speakers of the Express Forum congratulated the nation on the upcoming Christmas and Happy New Year. Vowing to continue working for the development, prosperity, and defence of Pakistan, they demanded to make the security of all churches fool proof on Christmas Eve.
These views were expressed by MNA Naveed Jiva, Pastors Shakeel Masih and Qaiser Chauhan, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Punjab Minority Wing President Imran Athwal and others at the Express Forum. The speakers called for financial support for the poor Christians from a state institution on the lines of Baitul Maal and said that should be given special Christmas rewards.
The Christian population should be given three holidays in line with the Christmas celebrations. The participants said that special markets should be set up to provide relief to the minority group.
The forum said that Christians also took an active part in the Pakistan Movement and sacrificed lives during the wars of 1965 and 1971. They expressed that the white color in the national flag belonged to them.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 21st, 2020.
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