Army will provide security for Chelum

The federal government on Friday approved the deployment of the Pakistan Army and other armed forces for the security of Hazrat Imam Hussain’s Chehlum, which will be observed on Saturday (today) across the country.

The federal government has approved the deployment of the Pakistan Army in all four provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir under Article 245 of the Constitution. The government approved a summary forwarded by the interior ministry and a notification for the deployment of armed forces was issued on Friday evening.

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said that the Pakistan Army will perform the security duty to assist the civil government on the occasion of Chehlum. He said that Rangers, the Frontier Constabulary and other armed forces will also assist the civilian administration.

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

The interior minister said that all forces were being deployed for maintaining the law and order. He said that all processions and security matters will be monitored from the central control room established at the interior ministry.

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

The home departments of all four provinces, GB, AJK and the Islamabad Capital Territory administration had requested the federal government to deploy army and civil armed forces on the occasion of Chehlum.

“The federal government, in exercise of the powers conferred under Article 245 of the Constitution, is pleased to authorise the 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, AJ&K, GB and ICT during Chehlum, 2022 in aid of civil power,” said a notification issued on Friday.

RWMC deploys staff

The Rawalpindi Waste Management Company (RWMC) has cancelled the leaves of janitorial workers to clean up the main procession route ahead of the Chehlum of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) and the martyrs of Karbala to be observed on Saturday (today).

RWMC workers have been deployed to ensure thorough cleaning of the procession route ahead of Chehlum on Saturday (today).

Additional Deputy Commissioner General Rawalpindi and RWMC Managing Director Qasim Ijaz Shahr reviewed the special cleaning drive in connection with the Chehlum. The officials instructed workers that no negligence will be tolerated in the cleaning of the city and the procession route.

They said that special cleaning arrangements have been made along the procession route and around Imambargahs.

Meanwhile, Rawalpindi police have finalised a security plan for the Chehlum of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) and the martyrs of Karbala to be observed on September 17.

More than 4,000 police personnel will be deployed for the security of the main and other processions. A special squad of Punjab Rangers will also perform security duty. The Pakistan army will be put on high alert on the occasion.

A control room has been set up in the office of the City Police Officer Rawalpindi to ensure the implementation of security arrangements. A proposal to shut down mobile phone service is also under consideration.

Sources said that more than 400 CCTV cameras will be installed to monitor the procession. Police said that three-layer security will be provided to the processions and walk-through gates will be installed at the entry points of the processions. The participants will be allowed to join the main procession after a full body search.

Under the security arrangements, no one would be allowed to stand on rooftops of commercial and residential buildings situated along the procession routes.

Snipers will also be deployed for the security of the main procession. Searching and sweeping of the main procession route will be carried out and streets, roads, diversion points and other routes along the main procession will be sealed.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 17^th, 2022.