Punjab

Terror threat: 10,000 cops on duty at Horse, Cattle Show

CTO says a free shuttle bus service will be started for show.

Akbar Bajwa March 03, 2015

Chief Traffic Officer Tayyab Hafeez Cheema said that a shuttle bus service would be started to bring people to the venue. PHOTO: FILE

LAHORE: Punjab Police will deploy 10,000 personnel to secure the National Horse and Cattle Show, starting from March 5 at Fortress Stadium.

The government has provided Lahore police Rs50 million for making security arrangements for the event. Snipers will be deployed at nearby buildings.

Operations DIG Dr Haider Ashraf said that police personnel had been called from some other districts to perform security duty at the show. Security SP Capt (r) Liaqat Hussain said mounted police units would patrol the venue.

Chief Traffic Officer Tayyab Hafeez Cheema said that a shuttle bus service would be started to bring people to the venue. “The bus service will pick people from 11 designated points in the city and bring them to Fortress Stadium,” he said. Cheema said that parking arrangements had been made at the 11 points.

“The pick and drop points are: Azadi Chowk, Qurtaba Chowk, Kalma Chowk, Qainchi, City Bus terminal at Sikandaria Colony, Thokar Niaz Beg, Scheme Mor, Jallo Mor, Shalimar Chowk and Nawaz Sharif Interchange on Bedian Road,” he said.

All SHOs in the city have been directed by divisional SPs to provide four barriers and a walkthrough gate each for the show.

Requesting anonymity, an SHO said that police stations had eight to ten security barriers each. “We have been directed to send the security barriers and walkthrough gates to the Qila Gujjar Singh Police Lines on Wednesday (today). Those who do not have a walkthrough gate have been directed to rent or borrow one,” he said.

Another SHO told The Express Tribune: “During Muharram, we provide security barriers and barbed wire to the police lines. However, they are never returned to us. A walkthrough gate costs Rs0.25 million. How can we arrange it on our own?”

DIG Ashraf confirmed that SHOs had been issued such instructions.

“The department will reimburse the rent. We need at least 50 walkthrough gates to cover such an event. Lahore police own only four,” he said.

The SHOs will deposit the security amount for renting the walkthrough gate, Ashraf said.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 4^th, 2015.

COMMENTS (1)

Faraz Karamat | 9 years ago | Reply Excellent! I am so happy that our political leaders are spending tax payer's money and national resources on such high priority events. Please also include to the total cost, the losses being faced by hundreds of businesses at Fortress Stadium as the place has become virtually inaccessible due to security threat. In any case Lahore is such a safe city who needs all this police doing their actual duties. So happy the Punjab government found a way to keep them busy. Our entertainment starved political elites must be enjoying so much attending this exciting show... especially with all the awesome protocol being provided to them to get to these much needed festivities... blocking the roads at school and office rush hours, when the other main access road (Jail Road) is already undergoing massive construction work of underpass and overpass giving parents who have to drive their children to a heart bypass! So yes one route is blocked by the heavy machinery and the other by the extra security at the Horse and Cattle show! It is such leadership qualities which change the destiny of the nations... Well Done Mr CM Sharif! Last year it was the fake youth festival at the Gaddafi Stadium Lahore where we properly utilized the tax payers money and this year its the revival of ever exciting Horse and Cattle show... wonder what our great leader has planned for us for the coming year!

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