Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Arif Nawaz Khan has said that Punjab police will ensure a four-layer security by deploying over 125,000 police personnel in the province in order to provide foolproof security to citizens during the holy month of Muharram.
"All the RPOs and DPOs should personally devise a comprehensive security plan in their respective division for sensitive Majalis and processions and should ensure that each deployed police officer is well aware of the SOPs," directed the IGP while addressing a video-link conference at the Central Police Office (CPO) on Thursday.
Additional IG (Discipline) Ijaz Ahmed, Additional IG (PHP) Amjad Saleemi, Additional IG (Operation) Mohsin Hassan, Additional IG (Establishment) Azhar Hameed, Additional IG and other high command of the police department attended the conference. In the meeting, the IGP was informed that around 124,537 police personnel will be deployed for the security of 36,216 Majalis. Out of the 124,537 personnel, around 37,398 will be Police Qaumi Razakar (PQR), 5,580 will be from Special Branch whereas 85,515 will be police volunteers.
Likewise, a contingent of police comprising of 135,370 police personnel will perform their duties for protection of 9,173 processions on the day of Ashura. Out of the total, nearly 26,534 will be QRF personnel, 5,590 from Special Branch while 67,692 will be police volunteers.
The IGP stressed the need for ensuring screening and scanning of vehicles and the hawkers should be checked around every imambargah or majlis. While directing the CCPOs, DPOs and RPOs, Arif said they should ensure deployment of snipers on every building falling on the route of procession.
In the meeting, the DPOs and RPOs were also directed to strictly implement the ban on use of loud speakers and stern should be taken against those found violating the law. The IGP also directed to initiate a crackdown against vehicles having tainted-glasses and sharp white lights.
In addition, he said, the police department should prepare and provide 'special CNIC cards' to the policemen deployed on duty by ensuring that the field security in-charges are familiar with the faces of his teams, so there could be no security laps. "The video recordings of processions should be ensured at any cost by installing additional CCTV cameras on the routes," Arif further directed.
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