High alert: Jumatul Wida security plan finalised

Thousands of policemen to secure 1,252 gatherings division-wide

BAHAWALPUR: RPO Ehsan Sadiq said on Thursday that police had finalised security arrangements for Jumatul Wida (the last Friday of Ramazan) across the division.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the RPO said over 3,800 policemen would secure 1,252 gatherings on the occasion across the division. He said police had made foolproof security arrangements to prevent any untoward situation. Sadiq said everyone participating in Jumatul Wida gatherings would be frisked by policemen equipped with metal detectors. He said 980 metal detectors had been provided on this account. Sadiq said walkthrough gates would be installed at major gatherings across Bahawalpur City.

The RPO said proceedings would be continuously monitored by CCTV cameras. He said guaranteeing foolproof security was the foremost priority of the department. Sadiq said police needed the people’s cooperation on this account. He said the department had been placed on high alert and the people should keep an eye out for suspicious elements and play their part in maintaining public order.

Separately, Sadiq said over 5,654 policemen would secure 1,193 gatherings across the division on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr. He said the gatherings had been divided into three categories after taking into account their threat perception. Sadiq said 118 gatherings had been placed in category A, 226 in B and 849 in C. He said Eid prayers would be offered at 360 gatherings across Bahawalpur District, 326 in Bahawalnagar and 507 in Rahim Yar Khan. He said police had been provided 1,100 metal detectors to frisk worshippers on Eid. .

Published in The Express Tribune, July 17^th, 2015.