300 snipers among 10,000 cops to be deployed

Karachi
Around 10,000 policemen, including 300 snipers and 27 teams of the bomb disposal squad, will be performing security duties at a rally of the Pakistan People’s Party at Kakri ground to be held on Sunday, said DIG South Dr Jamil Ahmed.
Sharing the security plan finalised for the event with The News on Friday, he disclosed that 10,000 police personnel —comprising contingents of the Special Security Unit, Rapid Response Force, training centres and also the Sindh Reserve Police — will be performing security duties at the Kakri ground on Sunday.
Moreover, he said, 300 snipers will be deployed at rooftops of buildings situated near the venue while 27 BDS teams will be sweeping the area around.
DIG Ahmed said the BDS teams had been provided with 100 metal detectors and 10 mines detectors among other equipment. The K-9 unit of the Sindh Police will also provide its services for the occasion.
The police will work in coordination with the organisers and volunteers of the PPP whose names have been forwarded to the law enforcers and have been issued special cards. He said 50 walk-through gates will also be installed at the beginning of the procession.
A central control room and three sub-control rooms for surveillance of the day’s events will also be set up. Closed-circuit cameras have also been installed along the route and the entry and exit points will be guarded by plain-clothes policemen.
Meanwhile, no vehicle will be allowed to park within the radius of one kilometre, except for VVIPs. Attendees will park their cars at five designated spots identified by the security staff.
The participants will have to walk around 300 metres to enter the procession and will be frisked before joining the rally.
According to DIG Ahmed, policemen will also be deployed at different locations in Lyari with 41 armoured-personnel carriers (APC) and 150 bullet-proof mobiles will keep patrolling till the event comes to a close.
Meanwhile, at a separate meeting convened by the DIG South to discuss the law and order situation in Lyari, he directed his subordinates to extend all possible cooperation to the police personnel deployed on security duties and liaise with Madadgar-15 centres and offices of the Superintendent of Police to inform them of any suspicious person or activity.
Similarly steps have been taken for physical search of procession participants and the baggage carried by them. As per plan, security has been further strengthened in sensitive areas identified in the past while police commandos would be deployed at the processions.
According to DIG Ahmed, despite limited resources more than 5,000 additional police personnel will be called from other districts of Sindh.
He said these personnel will be deployed along the route of the procession and sensitive places.