Preventive measures: In AJK, security on high alert for Ashura

Plan for securing processions revised after terror incident in Bagh,

MUZAFFARABAD: Security has been put on high  alert across Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) for Ashura after  a hand grenade blast in Bagh  in which a terrorist was killed  and another injured during a  police operation on Tuesday  night.

The security plan for Muharram has been revised after the Bagh terrorist incident, said a senior  police officer who is also a member of the investigation team tracking the terrorists’  links, requesting his name  be withheld. Four districts, Muzaffarabad, Rawalakot, Bagh and Mirpur have been declared sensitive during Ashura. Additional policemen have been deployed in sensitive districts to avert any untoward incident during the Ashura processions.

Apart from the district administrations, commissioners  and deputy inspectors general will monitor security in highly  sensitive districts. All vehicles entering Bagh, Muzaffarabad, Mirpur and Rawalakot will be checked at main entry points.

“We are trying to find out a clue to who provided logistic support to these terrorists, which area and installations they wanted to target and which entry point they used  to reach Bagh,” said the police official said, while talking to The Express Tribune.

Police sources said that a special team has been working day and night since the blast to trace out the links of the slain terrorist in Bagh and elsewhere in AJK.

Meanwhile, the Central Police Office (CPO) on Thursday issued a press release stating that cellular services will be suspended in Muzaffarabad from 6:am till 10:pm on 10th of Muharram. Cellular services will also remain suspended in Mirpur, Bagh, Kotli and Rawalakot  districts. The district administration Kotli has imposed  a ban on beggary to curb the movement of suspicious people during the Ashura processions. The biggest Ashura  procession will be taken out from Imambargah Pir Alm Shah Bukhari at 10am on Friday (today).