Lahore CCPO bans religious congregations from being held on public streets

Enforc­es Amplif­ier Ordina­nce restri­cting use of loudsp­eakers.

LAHORE: In a bid to maintain religious harmony, Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Muhammad Aslam Tareen has decided to restrict religious congregations to within closed enclosures, or structures, instead of extending them on to streets.

The CCPO further ordered the Lahore Police to ensure comprehensive implementation of Amplifier Ordinance, which restricts the use of loudspeakers. He also instructed that Peace Committees be made more effective and active. He added that a grand meeting will be held next week between members of the Peace Committee, high ranking officers of the Lahore Police and Ulema belonging to various schools of thought.

The restriction will not be applicable on Friday prayer congregations, and or other processions for which prior permission is sought.

He issued these instructions after a 10-member delegation of the Ahl-e-Hadees Ittehad Counsel (AHIC) met with him at Capital City Police Headquarters, Lahore. The delegation included Secretary General AHIC Hafiz Khalid Shahzad Farooqi, Maulana Sheikh Naeem Badshah, Molana Shakeel-ur-Rehman Nasir, Molana Rana Nasrullah, Molana Zahid Hashmi Alzahri, Allama Molana Asghar Farooq, Mian Amir Bashir, Molana Hafiz Iman Ullah Madni, Rana Muhmmad Naeem and Molana Aziz-ur-Rehman Toheedi.

The CCPO said that better coordination between police and Ulema could solve multiple security issues. He said that Darbar Committees have been established in every area of the city to make foolproof security arrangements for shrines and Imam Barghas of Lahore. He said the committees would ensure surveillance cameras are installed in all religious places, proper arrangement for late night lighting is made, and parking stands are set up well away from the Imam Bargah and shrines.

Tareen directed Lahore Police to ensure propagation of comprehensive community policing and ordered all SPs to keep a close liaison with the notables and public representatives of the area, and hold regular coordination meetings.

The visiting delegation assured the CCPO of their cooperation in elimination of terrorism and other heinous crimes in the city and to defeat anti-social elements who wish to create discord and chaos in the country.