Prioritising protection: Security for High Court building being enhanced

Rs32 million to be spent initially on the new security plan

LAHORE:

Work is underway on introducing a foolproof security set-up at Lahore High Court (LHC). More than Rs32 million has been reserved for the purpose initially.

It is learnt that the plan consists of two phases; work on the first phase will be completed this month. Two bomb-proof scanning rooms, equipped with walkthrough gates, body and luggage scanners and CCTV cameras, would be set up for two LHC gates, sources close to the development said.

They said Rs32 million would be spent on construction alone. Expenses to be incurred on security gadgets are in addition to these.

One of the concrete and steel scanning rooms is next to the LHC gate on Turner Road. The other is next to the gate towards a church on Moula Bukhsh Road. The latter scanning room is being constructed on 2,130 square feet area. It will have three body scanners and a luggage scanner.

The facility at the Turner Road gate is also being constructed on 2,130 square feet covered area. It will have five walkthrough gates and a baggage scanning machine. Visitors will use these rooms only for entering the court; separate pathways would be provided for exit.

The scanning rooms will have bullet-proof glass windows. The court’s boundary wall, which is 3,000 feet long, has been raised to a height to nine feet. Fences and barbed wire are being placed on the wall. Concrete blocks have been placed around the wall. Steel sheets have been fixed on all six gates to obscure the view.

LHC Security Officer SP Mufakhar Adeel told The Express Tribune barbed wire would be fixed on top of the raised wall. He said of the 28 walkthrough gates being procured, 22 had already been installed.

He said four hydraulic barriers would be installed – two in the first phase and as many in the next phase. He said 30 more CCTV cameras were being installed. As many as 165 cameras are already operational.

Adeel said nine observation posts on the boundary wall had been raised in line with height of the boundary wall. Eight security bunkers have been constructed on the court premises.

Arif Dar, an LHC spokesperson, said the court administration was doing its best to ensure security of the visitors. “There is no specific security threat to the LHC. The country is fighting a war against terrorism and we have taken security steps in this regard.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 14^th, 2015.