8,000 personnel to be deployed for Muharram security

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah held a meeting on Friday with Rangers and police high-ups to review the security plan devised for maintaining law and order during the holy month of Muharram.

Talking to the meeting participants, the CM called for ensuring foolproof securing measures for majalis and processions. The meeting was attended by home minister Sohail Anwar Siyal, information minister Syed Nasir Shah, chief secretary Rizwan Memon, Sindh Rangers Director General Major General Mohammad Saeed, Sindh police chief AD Khowaja, Additional IGs Sanaullah Abbasi and Mushtaq Maher, principal secretary Sohail Rajput, home secretary Qazir Shahid Parvez and Karachi Commissioner Aijaz Ali Khan.

The paramilitary force’s provincial chief told the chief minister said that 8,000 Rangers personnel would be deployed as per the Muharram security plan.  The DG Rangers said he had held a number of meetings with the IGP and additional IGs to chalk out a detailed plan. “The deployment of Rangers personnel will start from the first of Muharram till the day of Chehlum,” he added. 

Major General Saeed said the security plan would be implemented with a close coordination with the law enforcement and intelligence agencies. “This coordination and intelligence network will be sufficient to ensure security for majalis and other congregations,” he added. 

Apart from this, the Rangers and police would be continuously conducting targeted operations in the city and in its outskirt areas, he said. “This process has also dismantled the network of terrorists and other outlaws in the city.”

In his briefing, the provincial police chief told the meeting there were a total of 1,932 imambargahs in Sindh and this time round, as many as 9,295 majalis would be held in the province while 4,004 matmi processions and 1,658 tazia processions would be taken out.

He said out of 9,269 majalis, 583 had been declared most sensitive and 2,463 sensitive. Similarly, 340 matmi processions had been declared most sensitive and 1,337 sensitive, he said. As far as tazia processions were concerned, 65 had been declared most sensitive and 626 sensitive, he added. 

Talking about Karachi, the IGP said out of 320 majalis, 179 had been declared most sensitive and 767 sensitive. Out of 694 matmi processions, 116 were most sensitive and 530 sensitive. As far as tazia processions were concerned, no procession had been declared most sensitive but 198 were sensitive, he added.

The chief minister was told that police officers had been deployed according to the sensitivity of the processions and majalis. As many as 61,545 police officers would deployed for the security purpose. Out of them 34,827 would be static, 9,087 in pickets, 6,600 deployed on mobiles and 2,914 on motorcycles.

Khowaja said there would be 1,310 mobile vans, 1,436 motorcycles and a force of 8,117 would be kept reserve. Giving details of the reserve force, the IGP said 400 policemen would be present at the Central Police Office, 100 each at the Karachi Additional IG office, the Garden headquarters, the Anti-Car Lifting Cell, Naumaish Chowrangi, the Mama Parsi School, Preedy Street and Merewether Tower.

The chief minister directed the IGP to make necessary arrangements for continuous vigilance till Chehlum and ensure close coordination with religious leaders. “I would personally hold meetings with religious leaders and spiritual figures,” he said, adding that he was very much satisfied about the law and order situation in the city.

The CM directed the chief secretary to coordinate with the local bodies to complete patchwork of all roads in dilapidated condition. “The local bodies must start cleanliness work of their respective areas across Sindh,” he said, and added the water board should also ensure proper supply of water in the city.

Shah also issued directives to all the deputy commissioners through the chief secretary and SSPs through the IGP to involve local bodies for maintenance of law and order, and cleanliness work for Muharram.

The CM also directed the police chief to work out details about policemen deployed for security of different people. He ordered withdrawing unnecessary security given to people and deploy the policemen for Muharram security. 

The chief minister directed the home minister to ensure coordination with the interior ministry for shutting down the cell phone network when and where required. “This is important to coordinate with the interior ministry in time for the purpose,” he said.

Shah welcomed the decision of the spiritual leader of Dawoodi Bohra Jamaat, Dr Syedna Aali Qadr Mufaddal Saifuddin, to choose Karachi for observing Moharram. “This is the manifestation of his confidence in touring the city where we have restored peace,” he said.

He directed the IG police and the city commissioner to provide the Dawoodi Bohra community necessary security and facilitate them to organise their programmes.   The followers of Dr Syedna Aali Qadr Mufaddal Saifuddin would also come from different countries to meet their spiritual leader in the city.