Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Arif Nawaz Khan has emphasized the need for providing foolproof security to worship places of minorities ahead of Easter. Addressing a video-link conference of RPOs at the Central Police Office on Friday, the IGP said that steps should be taken with all possible resources for provision of foolproof security to worship places of minority community, specially churches, important markets, parks, recreational spots, supervision and checking through CCTV cameras, installation of walkthrough gates and metal detectors at entry and exit points of these places before the celebration of Easter.
Additional IG (AIG) Operations Aamir Zulfiqar Khan, AIG CTD Punjab Rai Muhammad Tahir, DIG Special Branch Punjab Zaeem Iqbal Sheikh, DIG Operations Sajjad Hassan Manj and AIG Operations Imran Mehmood and other senior officers also attended the conference.
"Snipers and commandos in plain clothes should be deployed around the buildings of churches so that the Christians community may perform their religious rites fearlessly," he said, directing to devise a new security plan for courts under the supervision of all RPOs and DPOs by considering in view the safety of judges, lawyers and citizens equally. The IGP said that strength of security personnel deployed over the entry and exit points of the courts should be increased and walkthrough gates should also be installed and no citizen should be allowed to enter the premises of courts without checking by metal detectors.
During the duty time of courts, the patrolling system of the Dolphin Force and the Police Response Unit (PRU) should be made more efficient, IG Arif said, adding that a Special Monitoring Officer should be appointed for efficient monitoring of security plan in every district who will ensure complete implementation of the security plan and furnish report to the higher authority on daily basis.
He said on the birthday of Hazrat Ali R.A, security plan of 680 mourning processions and 'Majalis' should also be prepared carefully and the security of these Majalis and processions should be guarded by concerned circle officers or SHOs and they will also brief their subordinates about the nature or sensitivity of their duties in case of negligence. While briefing the participants of the conference, AIG Operations Aamir Zulfiqar Khan said that a coordinated security plan for all 2564 churches has been finalised and it has also been divided into three categories which include A, B and C. "Over 30,000 police officers and officials from the ranks of DSP to constable have been deployed over the security of these churches while metal detectors and walkthrough gates will also be installed in these churches," the AIG assured, adding that monitoring of sensitive churches will be ensured through CCTV cameras.
In the conference, the participants also analyzed in detail the progress of police teams against culpable crimes including terrorism, murder, kidnapping for ransom, dacoity and arrest of proclaimed offenders. All RPOs also briefed the IG Police about the security of courts and progress made for the elimination of proclaimed offenders and anti-social elements.
After the briefings, the IG said in view of threat alerts, search, sweep, combing and intelligence based operations should be boosted up in all districts. He said there should be a strict vigilance over activities of defunct organizations and individual placed in the fourth schedule. He emphasized that special attention should be given to security of courts and no negligence shall be tolerated in this regard. He said more troops should be deputed over entertainment points on the event of Easter because the Christians used to visit entertainment spots for merry.
The IGP also stressed the need for ensuring surveillance of recreational places and entry and exit points through CCTV cameras which should be properly managed by SPs while circle officers and SHOs should supervise security arrangements by visiting parks themselves. The IG further said that police pickets should be established near PPIC3 cameras so there advantage can be increased.