Commissioner Karachi Iftikhar Shallwani chaired a meeting at his office on Friday to review the security arrangements for the Christmas celebrations.
He directed the law enforcement agencies to provide foolproof security around the churches on the occasion of Christmas. The meeting was attended among others by Deputy Commissioner South Sallahuddin Ahmed, additional deputy commissioners of all the districts, DIG South Sharjeel Kharal and other senior police officials along with officials of the district municipal corporations, cantonment boards, Karachi Water and Sewerage Board, and a representative of K-Electric.
Representatives of the Christian community also attended the meeting as did Member of Provincial Assembly Navid Anthony, Father Saleh Diego, Saleem Michael, Anthony D’sliva , Afzal Jabob, father Anthony Abroz, Pervaiz Gill and Shameem Khursheed.
The commissioner, according to a press statement, asked the security organisations to ensure foolproof security arrangements and take extra security measures in churches on the eve of Christmas.
It was also decided that foolproof security arrangements and measures for the provision of civic facilities, including streetlights, cleanliness and provision of drinking water around churches, would be made. It was also decided that the power utility would make arrangements for the supply of an uninterrupted supply of electricity to the churches during Christmas.
Shallwani directed the K-Electric to avoid loadshedding in all churches during Christmas and other places of celebrations of Christmas so that the Christian community could celebrate their festival without any hassle.
The commissioner also directed all the DMCs to ensure that streetlights were in working condition. Christian community leaders thanked the city administration for holding the timely meeting to resolve issues related to their community and pointed out some of the issues regarding sewerage and traffic. Shallwani directed the authorities to resolve the issues relating to traffic congestion and asked the water board to clean overflowing sewerage lines as pointed out in the meeting by the leaders of the Christian community.