Security at worship places in Lahore during Ramazan ordered

LAHORE: Acting Inspector General of Police Punjab, Capt (R) Usman Khattak has said that all available sources should be utilised to provide security to 33,839 mosques and 2,296 Imambargahs, all Ramazan Bazaars and Dastarkhwans established throughout the province during Ramazan.

Chairing a video-link RPOs and DPOs conference held at Central Police Office Friday, he directed the officials to ensure smooth flow of traffic, particularly during Iftaar timings. He directed RPOs and DPOs to personally devise security plan for Ramazan in their respective districts. He said that field officers should make sure checking of hotels, inns and guest houses, reports of which should be sent to IGP office by Monday.

The acting IGP was briefed in the conference that 83,824 police officials, including 2,965 officers, 21,746 jawans, 45,944 volunteers and 13,169 private security guards will be deployed on security duty of 33,839 mosques and 2,296 Imambargahs across Punjab; 1,713 walk-through gates and 20,249 metal detectors will also be used to ensure foolproof security.

He directed the field officers that vehicles checking at entry and exit points of all districts should specially be ensured and combing operations in sensitive areas of all districts should be regularly conducted.

The acting IGP directed DIG traffic to chalk out special traffic plan for Ramazan in all districts and monitor preparation and implementation of this plan in person. He said that all available sources should be utilised to ensure smooth flow of traffic, particularly during Iftaar timings.

All necessary steps should be taken to ensure foolproof security, especially during Fajr prayer, Iftaar and Trawih timings. Monitoring and briefing of the officials deployed on security duty should be ensured and monitoring teams, consisting of hard-working and responsible officials, should be formed for this purpose, added the acting IGP.

Police officials should be deployed on rooftops of sensitive mosques and Imambargahs while for security of B and C category mosques and Imambargahs, volunteers, selected in consultation with mosque committees and administrators of Imambargahs, should be deployed to search worshipers and no one should be allowed to enter the worship place without frisking. He advised that a single passage should be used to enter and exit the worship place and no more than one passageway should be kept opened during prayer timings.

Directing about security of banks, the acting IGP said that police should ensure strict implementation of SOPs issued to banks and action should be taken against bank administration for failure in putting SOPs into practice, so that public can enjoy banking facilities without any fear.

The IGP directed RPOs and DPOs to regularly visit inter-provincial and riverine check-posts in their districts. He directed to provide maximum facilities to the officials deployed on these check-posts and not to take any other duty from them or transfer them somewhere else.