Commissioners ordered to ensure security

LAHORE: Provincial Home Minister Col. (R) Shuja Khanzada has directed all the commissioners and regional police officers to ensure security arrangements in educational institutions of the province and implementation on 20 points issued in this regard.
He said this during a briefing from commissioners about the security arrangements during a video conference at the Civil Secretariat Monday. Advisor to Chief Minister Rana Maqbool Ahmed, additional chief secretary, Secretary Home Maj. (R) Azam Suleman, Commissioner Lahore Division Abdullah Khan Sumbal, secretary higher education, secretary schools, additional IG special branch, director intelligence bureau, SSP counter terrorism department, DCO Lahore and other officers were also present.
He said the permission of opening of any school should not be given till the implementation by school administration on these instructions and checking of all arrangements by the District Security Audit Committee. He said the security arrangements would be ensured at every cost throughout Punjab and strict indiscriminate action would be taken against the persons showing negligence. He said that all schools were bound to install walkthrough security gates, metal detectors, CCTV cameras and raising boundary wall up to eight feet and fixing of two feet barbed wire on it.
Shuja Khanzada was told that lectures about security were being delivered to teachers of educational institutions of all divisions and training was being imparted to them about the safe exit of children during emergency. Commissioners said officers and officials of the special branch and elite force were also imparting training to the security staff about the use of metal detectors and walkthrough gates.
He said that funds had been released to all the government schools and colleges and those institutions which did not receive funds so far. He added the schools should ensure security arrangements through funds of the district government and school council.
He directed that maximum check-posts should be established on roads leading towards educational institutions and such arrangements should be made to reach the site within five to ten minutes during any emergency.
He further said the verification of persons, working in all the canteens of schools and colleges, should be conducted by the special branch. He also directed commissioners to focus on the prices of the LPG and ensure implementation of transport fares after reduction in prices of petroleum products.