Preemptive measure: Security arrangements in place for Tableeghi Ijtimah

ISLAMABAD:

Over 700 police personnel have been deployed to cover a religious gathering which started on Saturday in I-11, the same Islamabad sector where on April 9 a bomb blast in the fruits-and-vegetable market killed 25 people and injured over 110 others.

Four Quick Reaction Force teams of Pakistan Rangers started performing patrolling duties around the sector. The capital’s police force and Rawalpindi Police are also conducting joint patrolling of the I J Principal Road, which divides Islamabad from Rawalpindi immediately south of I-11.

The tableeghi ijtimah is an annual gathering in I-11 and it draws hundreds of Muslims from all over the country for a three-day event.

Police said all participants who attend the religious gathering will be checked. Metal detectors and walk-through gates have been installed at the entry points of the gathering, just like entry-point checking at Muharram procession and political rallies.

A separate location for car parking has also been provided for the participants. Police also deemed it appropriate to use the religious gathering as an excuse to comb the surrounding areas, especially the localities near the vegetable market, where police said search operation will be conducted.

Senior police officials are supervising the security arrangements while special branch personnel and traffic police will also be on duty during the gathering.

The traffic police will also ensure that traffic jam from Pirwadhai to Railway Gate on I J Principal Road can be avoided.

A bomb disposal squad has been deputed for technical sweeping at the venue and the squad will remain present at the venue for the entire length of the gathering. Fire brigade and rescue staff will also be available.

A control room has been established under supervision of a deputy superintendent police (telecommunications) for coordination among deployed staff through wireless system.

Islamabad has faced a series of attacks and target killings in the past six months including a gun-and-suicide attack at the district courts and the murders of a religious party’s members after sectarian conflict in Rawalpindi on Ashura.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 27^th, 2014.