Govt approves countrywide army deployment for Chehlum security

Interior minister says all processions and security matters will be monitored from the Central Control Room

ISLAMABAD:

The federal government has approved the deployment of Pakistan Army troops along with civil armed forces to ensure security on the occasion of Chehlum of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA), which is being observed across the country.

The army troops will be deputed in all four provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir under Article 245 of the Constitution. The government gave approval on a summary of the Ministry of Interior and a notification for the deployment of forces was issued Friday evening.

Minister for Interior Rana Sanaullah said that the military will perform security duties to assist the civil government on the occasion of Chehlum, saying Rangers, Frontier Constabulary and other forces will also provide security services.

The interior minister said that the soldiers of the Pakistan Army were already engaged in helping and rehabilitating the flood victims and army would simultaneously provide security to Chehlum processions.

The minister said that all forces were being deployed for maintaining law and order, saying all processions and security matters will be monitored from the Central Control Room established at the Ministry of Interior.

He said that special measures were being taken for the security of Chehlum processions, routes and Imambargahs.

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According to the notification, the home departments of Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, “Azad Government of the State of Jammu & Kashmir” and office of the chief commissioner of the Islamabad Capital Territory had requested the federal government to deploy army and civil armed forces”.

“Federal Government, in exercise of the powers conferred under Article 245 of the Constitution is pleased to authorise deployment of Army troops/assets and Civil Armed Forces troops/assets under section 4(3)(i) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 in all provinces including AJ&K, GB and ICT during Chehlum, 2022 in aid of civil power,” read the notification.

The exact number of troops of army and civil armed forces, assets and dates, area of deployment will be worked out by the provincial governments, AJK, G-B and ICT administrations in consultation with General Headquarters (GHQ) and civil armed forces’ authorities.