Muharram security plan for twin cities finalised

Over 20,000 police personnel will perform security duty

RAWALPINDI:

Police have finalised a security plan for Muharram for the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

Under the security plan, around 10,000 personnel of police and other law enforcement agencies will be deployed for foolproof security in Rawalpindi.

Besides police personnel, Rangers will also be deployed on Ashura, while the army will remain on high alert. According to the authorities, mobile service will remain suspended from 7th Muharram to 10th Muharram in most sensitive areas. The leaves of police personnel had also been cancelled.

The Rawalpindi district administration has imposed a ban on the entry of 65 firebrand religious figures during Muharram.

A senior police officer, on the condition of anonymity, told The Express Tribune that the Rawalpindi police, with the cooperation of other law enforcement agencies, has devised a foolproof security plan for Muharram.

A total of over 1,500 Majalis and 100 mourning processions will be held in the Rawalpindi district. Security agencies have divided all Majlis and mourning processions into three different categories. Highly sensitive processions have been included in A-category, less sensitive processions have been included in B-category, while moderately sensitive processions have been included in C-category.

A total of five mourning processions have been declared highly sensitive and placed in A-category, while 112 processions and congregations have been placed in other categories. Police officials said that all mourning processions from the 7th Muharram to the 10th of Muharram have been declared highly sensitive. Around 12 Imambargahs across the city have also been declared highly sensitive and police personnel will be deployed in these Imambargahs from Saturday (today).

The police officer said that elements distributing any kind of hate literature and indulging in wall chalking to spread religious hatred will be immediately arrested and imprisoned under 16 MPO and other legal actions will also be taken against such elements.

The police officer said that an attempt can be made to spread religious sectarianism through social media during Muharram. He said that Rawalpindi police have formed a special wing for social media monitoring which will conduct operations in collaboration with the FIA.

According to the security plan, all connecting roads, streets, thoroughfares, neighbourhoods, bazaars and markets will be sealed to keep all routes of sensitive processions safe and clear. Mobile and Internet service will be suspended in certain areas from 7th Muharram to Ashura. Public transport routes including metro bus service will be restricted. There will be a total ban on wielding arms, gathering on rooftops and hosting guests in hotels.

The police officer said that the Punjab government may impose a ban on pillion riding in Rawalpindi on the occasion of Yum-e-Ashura. More than 500 CCTV cameras will be installed in all procession routes with the proper arrangement of lights. A control room has been set up to monitor all the CCTV cameras. Police and other law enforcement officials will be stationed in the control room.

These closed-circuit cameras will be installed at Iqbal Road, Fawara Chowk, Raja Bazar, Dingi Khoi, Old Qila, Urdu Bazar Chowk, Jamia Masjid Road, Murree Road, Committee Chowk, Liaquat Road and Raja Bazar Chowk for monitoring mourning processions. A formal contract has also been awarded to the local private sector. The control room of the closed-circuit cameras will be set up at Fawara Chowk. Rangers, commandos, police and district administration officers will sit here in 24 hours shifts in the control room.

Elite commandos will be deployed on roofs of buildings to ensure the security of the procession routes. During Muharram, those organising drink stalls (Sabeel) and food stalls (Langar) have been asked to obtain the NOC from the district administration. Distribution of langar without the permission of the district administration will be prohibited. Separate arrangements will be made for a comprehensive search of male and female mourners participating in the processions. Aerial surveillance will also be conducted in highly sensitive processions.

Meanwhile, Islamabad police have put in place elaborate arrangements for Muharram.

According to the Islamabad police public relations officer, about 10,000 personnel will perform security duty during Muharram. The security plan was finalised at a meeting presided over by the Deputy Inspector General of Police (Operations) Sohail Zafar Chatha, he said.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, July 30^th, 2022.