Muharram security: Curbs placed for Chehlum in DI Khan

Police chalk out plan to avoid any untoward incidents.

DERA ISMAIL KHAN: The Dera Ismail Khan police has devised a security plan to avoid any untoward incident during the Chehlum of Hazrat Imam Hussain (A.S), DPO Sohail Khalid said on Tuesday.

The district government has imposed Section 144, under which pillion riding on motorcycles will be banned for 10 days from 6pm till early morning, while a complete ban on motorcycles will be placed in Kulachi tehsil for the same period, Khalid told journalists at his office. The restrictions will be effective from Tuesday evening.

The police will remain on high alert and all internal and external roads and routes in DI Khan city will be under tight vigilance. He said 60 policemen, including officials, have been transferred to Police Lines, DI Khan and different police stations to maintain law and order during Chehlum.

Khalid said the terrorists cannot escape from the grip of law enforcement agencies no matter how influential they become. “The security of life, honour and property of citizens is the responsibility of the police and [we] are here to ensure that. Therefore, tight security measures have been taken for Chehlum.”

DI Khan is one of the districts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa ravaged by sectarian strife. At least 10 people were killed and several others injured on November 24 when a remote-controlled bomb targeted a Muharram procession on the outskirts of the city. The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan claimed responsibility and warned of more attacks.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 26^th, 2012.