Ramazan: Thousands of cops to be deployed

Enhanced security, traffic arrangements at worship places, markets planned

LAHORE:

Punjab Police plans to 76,578 personnel for the security of 32,386 mosques and 2,666 Imambargahs as well as important markets, government buildings and offices during Ramazan.

Senior officials have taken decisions to ensure the safety of shoppers in Ramazan bazaars and their vehicles. Checkpoints for surprise checking will be set up when required anywhere in the province.

Police officials said special teams would be formed to check the security arrangements during the month in major cities of the province, including Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Multan, Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Sheikhupura, Muzaffargarh, Khanewal, Sahiwal, Vehari, Mianwali, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Rahim Yar Khan, Gujrat and Jhang.

The teams will pay surprise visit in the districts and send all reports to Inspector General Rao Sardar Ali Khan.

Under the plan, departmental action will be taken against officers under whose supervision poor security measures are observed.

According to the IGP, the deployment of personnel has been planned as per the demand of field officers in the districts. The authorities have divided the mosques into three categories as per security security requirements and the number of personnel will be deployed accordingly.

Among the officials on duty during the month, 3,837 are of the rank of SP, DSP, inspector, sub-inspector and ASI, with 21,589 of head constables and constables. In addition, 8,557 private security guards and 42,595 volunteers will perform security duties.

Under the security plan, 1,115 walk-through gates and 13,728 metal detectors will be provided to police chiefs of all districts for checking people.

The walk-through gates will be placed at the entrances for checking of citizens visiting mosques and Imambargahs. In addition to checking vehicles at the entrance and exit points of cities, search and sweep operations will also continue.

IGP Rao Sardar instructed the field officers to also ensure the flow of traffic while ensuring security of the public places.

He made clear that negligence by officials will not be tolerated under any circumstances.

He said he will personally monitor the security arrangements and be in constant touch with the field staff to ensure security of the people during the holy month.

Read: USC unveils its Ramazan relief package

Lahore DIG Operation Dr Muhammad Abid Khan told The Express Tribune that more than 12,000 personnel would be on duty in the provincial capital during the month.

He said all police divisional DSPs, circle officers and SHOs will be in the field themselves.

They will visit mosques, markets and Imambargahs to check the performance of their teams. The security plan has been prepared at the police station level.

Lahore Chief Traffic Officer Muntazir Mehdi said the traffic police had also prepared a traffic plan for Ramazan.

The supervision of the arrangements will be intensified at the Iftar and Sahar times. He said 140 inspectors and more than 2,000 wardens would perform duties in the city.

The CTO said traffic police would also be deployed in the 32 Ramazan bazaars in the city. Special parking arrangements will be made in the vicinity of the bazaars.