Over 10,000 security personnel to guard Muharram gatherings in Islamabad

Islamabad
Stringent security measures will be taken to ensure peace during the holy month of Muharram, specifically on Ashura, the spokesperson for the Islamabad Police said.
Joint search operations are being conducted by police and rangers in marked areas of Islamabad to counter threats from miscreants.
As part of the security plan, over 10,000 personnel of Islamabad Police and Pakistan Rangers would perform security duties during Muharram and maintain high vigilance to thwart any untoward incident.
The Islamabad Police have finalised comprehensive security arrangements for mourning processions, religious gatherings during Muharram and decided to launch combing as well as search operations in various slums of the city, including Afghan habitats, to ensure foolproof security.
The plan to this effect has been prepared by SSP Islamabad Sajid Kiani keeping in view the National Action Plan. All wings of the Islamabad Police have been given directions to ensure complete coordination for success of the plan.
As per strategy, activities of people being put under surveillance following 'Fourth Schedule' will be strictly monitored. Similarly, those scholars or people from defunct organisations banned to enter into Islamabad would not be allowed at any cost to participate in any kind of activity.
The SSP has directed all SDPOs and SHOs to launch effective search operations as well as combing activities in slums of the city, including Afghan habitats, and enhance vigilance at all entry points of the city. The SSP (Operations) would himself monitor the search operation while relevant SPs have been asked to inform his office on daily basis about progress in this regard.
He directed police officials to maintain close liaison with peace committees and organisers of religious gatherings and processions. He said that cooperation of organisers should be ensured with police and other law enforcement officials.
A total of 909 religious gatherings ('majalis') and 177 processions (159 traditional and 18 licensed) will be held. The religious gatherings have been divided into three categories as per security aspect and 122 'majalis' have been placed in Category A, 492 in Category B and 295 in Category C, while 14 processions have been put in Category A, 91 in Category B and 72 in Category C.
The SSP has directed for strict security arrangements and special checking of participants.
He said that arrangements should be ensured for checking of participants of 'majalis' and mourning processions thorough metal detectors. Strict vigilance should be maintained to ensure that security measures are in place by police as well as peace committees, the SSP maintained.
The personnel of Pakistan Rangers will assist the Islamabad Police to ensure elaborate security arrangements. The SSP also ordered all SHOs to make proper lighting arrangements after negotiations with the concerned authorities and cut bushes in various areas in the vicinity of worship places.
He said that it should be ensured that processions pass through their fixed routes and timings of processions should be observed strictly. He also directed for effective patrolling and use commando vehicles for the purpose.
The SSP (Traffic) has been directed to ensure arrangements for avoiding any inconvenience to road-users and special deployment should be made for smooth flow of traffic on alternative routes during the time of processions. It should be ensured that parking lots should be far away from the processions with proper security arrangements there and metal detectors should be used at entry and exit points too.
The SSP (Operations) has said that walkthrough gates must be installed at all entry and exit points of 'majalis' and mourning processions and it should be covered through adequate strength of policemen. He asked all SPs and SDPOs to take steps to curb wall-chalking and pasting of posters which may hurt sentiments of people.
Patrolling officers must visit all routes of Muharram processions and Imambargahs and rooftops should be covered by police officials. The IGP said that policewomen should b deputed for the female gatherings while police officers and jawans would perform security duties outside Imambargahs.
All station house officers (SHOs) should get complete particulars of volunteers performing security duties. Peace committees would be asked to ensure that no stranger is allowed to stay in the worship places for security reasons during Muharram.
It will be also mandatory for the participants and organisers of the processions to get clearance certificates from the concerned police station before its start for security reasons.