Grand operation likely in slum settlements

Karachi
In view of security threats to schools after the Peshawar attack, the law enforcement agencies have decided to launch a crackdown in the slums situated near educational institutions.
A recent meeting of senior law enforcement officials from Sindh police, Intelligence Bureau and Rangers had discussed the overall law and order situation in Karachi with focus on the recent threats to educational institutions, including universities and colleges.
Sources told The News that the officials expressed concern that many institutions were surrounded with slums, where intelligence reports confirm the presence of banned outfit activists working as facilitators of terrorists.
After finalising the strategy, a letter was issued to all SSPs in Karachi to visit the educational institutions, particularly army public schools, within their respective jurisdictions and meet with the representatives of schools and their security heads.
Keeping in view the security situation, DIG East Munir Ahmed Sheikh directed his range officials to survey and comb all slum settlements around schools and colleges under the administrative control of armed forces and other highly sensitive key points.
The special branch police, Intelligence Bureau and the Rangers intelligence units would be approached to carry out independent surveys on a regular basis to cross check the data collected.
The officials agreed that in view of the impending executions of convicted terrorists, it was essential to adopt extraordinary security measures around the central prison, Malir prison, Karachi airport, Malir Cantt, PAF bases in Shah Faisal, Malir and Korangi Creek.
The Karachi police chief ordered the force to enhance security measures with schools reopening from Monday after winter vacations.
With many major educational institutions located in the Karachi police east range, the DIG East issued special directives to his district SSPs.
All SSPs shall immediately arrange meetings with the school managements, sensitise them about the situation and give them advice to adopt all possible precautionary measures to avoid any unfortunate incident.
All SSPs, Sub-Divisional Police Officers and SHOs were told to keep in touch with school administrations on regular basis and devise patrolling plans to provide security through mobiles and motorcycles. Static deployment and rooftops shall be done at all important locations and sensitive schools.
Sheikh directed his staff to brief the security guards deployed at schools on regular basis. The administration would be asked to take all-out security measures, including construction of watch towers, bunkers, raising boundary walls up to eight feet, placing of strong iron gates, manned entry and exits, and proper screening of all visitors either through original identity cards or departmental cards.
All schools would be asked to install CCTV cameras with night-vision technology and sufficient back-up. Parking would be banned within a 200-metre radius from schools with all visitors searched physically at a safe distance away from school. All kinds of pushcarts or vendors would not be allowed near the school premises.