Tight security across Punjab

LAHORE
Punjab police provided outstanding security to the mourners across the Punjab province on the eve of 10th of Muharram.
Punjab police monitored the processions taken out in all the districts through aerial surveillance and 39 drone cameras. Punjab police along with other law enforcing agencies held flag marches in sensitive areas. Around 148,052 officers and officials were deployed to give security cover to 9,148 processions, 36,057 majalis, 870 sensitive places and 337 highly sensitive places.
Around 1,541 CCTV cameras and 123 walk-through gates were installed at sensitive places, 8,930 metal detectors were arranged to conduct body search of the mourners.
Keeping in view the consecutive monitoring of 12 most sensitive districts, latest control room was set up in CPO office. The Provincial Police Chief not only monitored all the processions of these districts but also directly supervised the law and order. The declared sensitive districts were Lahore, Rawalpindi, Jhang, Rahimyar Khan, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Multan, D.G Khan, Bahawalnagar, Chakwal and Pakpattan.
On 7th of Muharram 150,267 security officials performed the security duties whereas, on 9th Muharram, they were 164,302 and on 10th Muharram 200,658 officers and officials performed security duties.
Meanwhile, the processions of 10th Muharram ended peacefully in the provincial metropolis on Saturday as foolproof security arrangements were made to cope with any untoward incident in the City during the month of Muharram. The main Zuljinah procession emerged from Nisar Haveli inside Mochi Gate late Friday night amidst strict security arrangements culminated at Karbala Gamay Shah on Saturday evening.
The installation and use of CCTV cameras, barbed wires, walk-through gates, jammers, metal detectors at all the entry and exit points of the cities and processions were made. Fifteen surveillance vans were used to monitor the processions taken out in Lahore. A special control room was established at DIG Operations Lahore office to monitor the processions and majalis. The control room monitored the processions and majalis from 1st to 10th of Muharram and its staff worked in three shifts. Sensitive processions and majalis were monitored through OB Van cameras, CCTV and special control room.
Companies of army and rangers also remained standby. All kind of leaves of all operational and security officials were cancelled during Muharram. To prevent any kind of terrorist or criminal activity in police uniform, security passes were issued for all the security personnel. Besides deployment of heavy contingents of police on the routes of processions, aerial surveillance was also conducted. Strict security measures were taken on the occasion and all the roads and streets were closed by deploying police personnel. A sufficient number of police reserves, platoons and mobile teams of police commandos of elite force equipped with modern weapons and wireless fitted jeeps conducted round-the-clock patrolling in all important areas of Lahore for maintaining law and order.
Meanwhile, IGP ordered to release all bikes impounded by the police across the Punjab on violation of pillion riding ban during 9th and 10th of Muharram.