Inspector General Police (IGP) Sindh Mushtaq Shah directed all the zonal police officers including all DIGs in Karachi in particular and those elsewhere in the province to establish ad hoc crisis management cells for Muharram.
"Crisis Response Team of the Police has been activated for proper monitoring and to meet any eventuality during the Muharram processions," the IGP said on Sunday, according to a directive issued to heads of all the zonal police officers.
At least 155 processions are to be taken out on 8th of Muharram from different parts of Karachi alone and they are to be manned by over 5,000 police personnel and Rangers. The senior police officials said that they are constantly in touch with the personnel of Pakistan Rangers to avoid any untoward incident and restrain all those people who will have no clearance from the special branch for entrance into the main stream of the procession which is taken out from Numaish up to the Imambargah Hussainian Iranian Kharadar.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Rangers, Sindh, have also deployed a large contingent of their personnel at various sensitive localities with snap checking and enhanced security for the procession participants.
Besides, the Rangers also arranged an aerial surveillance through helicopters to ensure security for the participants of the processions taken out on the traditional routes.