Ishratul Ebad said the divisional administration must hold meetings with the K-Electric o ensure uninterrupted power supply to streetlights.
“We can’t afford the risk of darkness on the streets on the sensitive days of Muharram,” he added.
The chief minister directed the chief secretary to coordinate with Karachi commissioner for this purpose.
Dr Qayoom Soomro, the special assistant to the chief minister on auqaf and religious affairs, said he had held meetings with the scholars of different sects so that the code of conduct prepared in connection with Muharram could be properly implemented.
The chief minister said he had directed the divisional commissioners to form district peace committees through the respective deputy commissioners.
The chief minister also directed the chief secretary to ensure the presence of doctors and paramedical staff and the availability of medicines at the government hospitals during Muharram.
The representatives of intelligence agencies told the participants of the meeting that extra security arrangements were required in Shikarpur, Khairpur and Shahdadkot because of the activities of banned outfits there.
18,000 cops
Over 18,000 cops will be deployed in Karachi for the security of mourning processions, religious gatherings, imambargahs, and mosques during Muharram.
Karachi police chief Mushtaq Mehar held a meeting with DIGs, SSPs, SPs, SDPOs and SHOs on Monday to discuss the security plan for Muharram.
As part of the plan, policemen will be deployed at imambargahs, mosques, religious gatherings and on procession routes.
Besides, snipers will be deployed on the rooftops of buildings near the places. Activists of sectarian groups will be closely monitored during Muharram.
Cops will patrol vulnerable areas in vans, motorcycles as well as on foot. Walkthrough scanner gates will be installed at the entry and exit points of mosques and imambargahs and metal detectors will also be used.
The bomb disposal squad will thoroughly check imambargahs before gatherings are held there and remain alert round the clock to respond to any untoward situation.
It will be ensured that vehicles are parked away from imambargahs.
The police will contact the authorities concerned for proper streetlight arrangements at vulnerable places and coordinate closely with religious scholars and organisers of religious gatherings and processions to ensure effective security steps.
The police will also set up control rooms at the zonal level.
The 18,140 cops deployed in the city will include 8,833 in the East zone, 6,675 in the West zone and 2,632 in the South zone: