125,000 cops to provide security in Muharram

LAHORE :Inspector General of Police, Punjab, Capt (r) Arif Nawaz Khan has said that at least 125,000 officers and officials of Punjab Police would provide foolproof four-layered security cover to the sensitive Majalis and processions during Muharram to mainatain law and order in all districts of the province.

He directed all the RPOs and DPOs to personally devise security plan for sensitive Majalis and processions.  He asked the officers to ensure implementation of hours of Najalis and processions and launch search, sweep and combing operations at and around the designated places. 

The IG expressed these views while chairing a video link conference of RPOs and DPOs at the CPO on Thursday. Senior officers of CPO also attended the conference.  The IG  was told in the meeting that 124,537 police officers and officials, including police volunteers, special police and Razakars had been deployed for the security of 36,216 Majalis. It was told that 135,370 officers and officials would be deployed for the security of 9,173 processions of Ashura of Muharram. 

Arif Nawaz also stressed on the screening and scanning of routes and enhance patrolling in the specific areas.  A detailed code of conduct for Muharram has also been issued under which display of weapons will be banned and the Laudspeaker Act will be strictly implemented.

 Meanwhile, a Chinese delegation led by Chinese consul general called on the IG and discussed the matters of mutual interest. The IG told the delegation about the functionality of SPU working for the security of foreigners especially Chinese. 

EXPATS: Overseas Pakistanis Commission (OPC), Punjab has become a ray of hope for expatriate Pakistanis. Due to the efforts of OPC, an overseas Pakistani got back the possession of his land worth Rs 5 million. OPC Commissioner Afzaal Bhatti said Naukhaiz Akthar settled in Vilnius, Lithuania, filed a complaint that some people illegally occupied his land in Chak 127, district Chiniot. This complaint was referred to District Overseas Pakistanis Committee (DOPC) Chiniot, and after hectic efforts of members of DOPC, the land was retrieved. Afzaal Bhatti said on the instructions of Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, an IT-based system has been devised for speedy disposal of complaints. 

arrested: FIA Anti Human Trafficking Cell (AHTC) Thursday arrested four human smugglers.  According to an FIA official, a raid was conducted near Niazi Adda Bund Road and four alleged human smugglers Rizwan Ali, Imtiaz Hussain, Tahir Naveed and Akhter Abbas were arrested. 

Five original Pakistani passports bearing fake protector stamps, seven fake work permits, five fake insurance receipts, etc. were recovered from their possession. The accused were involved in plundering millions of rupees from the innocent people on the pretext of sending them abroad for employment.  FIR #844/17 has been registered against them.