Security procedures: Muharram volunteer guards were armed
Many of the Shia volunteers that guarded processions in the first ten days of Muharram carried guns.
LAHORE:
Many of the 1,300 Shia volunteers that guarded processions in the first ten days of Muharram, and that are to continue with security duties till Safar, carried guns and other weapons in contravention of police instructions, The Express Tribune has learnt.
Volunteers of the Hussainia Scouts and Mukhtar Force, both of which are trained by security agencies, were deployed at the main mourning procession on the Ashura. The volunteers were meant to enhance locals’ trust in their official security, and use their local knowledge to identify suspects.
The police did not allow the volunteers to carry weapons. Only bodyguards of certain Shia leaders were given special permission to carry weapons by the Interior Ministry.
A source in the volunteer force said that more than half the volunteers were armed. Furthermore, he said, the police personnel deployed at exit and entry points knew that these volunteers were armed.
“The volunteers carried pistols and other weapons,” the source said. “They were keeping an eye out for suspicious people. They mainly stayed deep inside the crowd to foil any terrorist attempt along with intelligence personnel. The police knew what was going on.”
Shehzada Hassan Bhatti, chairman of the Tehreek-i-Nifaz-i-Fiqh-i-Jafria, said the volunteer force deserved a large portion of the credit for the mostly peaceful passing of the major Muharram processions this year.
“These people were vigilant and identified multiple suspicious people in the processions. They were trained by the intelligence agencies for a peaceful purpose. We get cooperation and protection from the police but we always have a force of private guards or volunteers for security,” he said.
Superintendent of Police (Security) Capt (retired) Faisal Rana denied that the volunteers were armed or had police permission, tacit or explicit, to carry guns. “The force was created to assist police in identifying suspicious persons and nothing else. No police officer was allowed to give scot-free entry to any person carrying a weapon,” he said.
He said the volunteers were trained by the police.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 20th, 2010.
Many of the 1,300 Shia volunteers that guarded processions in the first ten days of Muharram, and that are to continue with security duties till Safar, carried guns and other weapons in contravention of police instructions, The Express Tribune has learnt.
Volunteers of the Hussainia Scouts and Mukhtar Force, both of which are trained by security agencies, were deployed at the main mourning procession on the Ashura. The volunteers were meant to enhance locals’ trust in their official security, and use their local knowledge to identify suspects.
The police did not allow the volunteers to carry weapons. Only bodyguards of certain Shia leaders were given special permission to carry weapons by the Interior Ministry.
A source in the volunteer force said that more than half the volunteers were armed. Furthermore, he said, the police personnel deployed at exit and entry points knew that these volunteers were armed.
“The volunteers carried pistols and other weapons,” the source said. “They were keeping an eye out for suspicious people. They mainly stayed deep inside the crowd to foil any terrorist attempt along with intelligence personnel. The police knew what was going on.”
Shehzada Hassan Bhatti, chairman of the Tehreek-i-Nifaz-i-Fiqh-i-Jafria, said the volunteer force deserved a large portion of the credit for the mostly peaceful passing of the major Muharram processions this year.
“These people were vigilant and identified multiple suspicious people in the processions. They were trained by the intelligence agencies for a peaceful purpose. We get cooperation and protection from the police but we always have a force of private guards or volunteers for security,” he said.
Superintendent of Police (Security) Capt (retired) Faisal Rana denied that the volunteers were armed or had police permission, tacit or explicit, to carry guns. “The force was created to assist police in identifying suspicious persons and nothing else. No police officer was allowed to give scot-free entry to any person carrying a weapon,” he said.
He said the volunteers were trained by the police.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 20th, 2010.