Over 6,000 cops to be deployed for Muharram in Abbottabad

ABBOTTABAD: More than 6,000 police personnel will be deployed for the security of rallies and processions across Hazara division during the holy month of Muharram.

A high-level meeting chaired by Deputy Inspector General Police Hazara region Qazi Jamil-ur-Rehman reviewed the security arrangements for Muharram. District police officers (DPOs) of various districts in Hazara presented their respective districts’ security and traffic plans. Jamil-ur-Rehman, while terming the Muharram security plans as satisfactory, instructed the DPOs to take special measures to maintain law and order situation during Muharram. He directed the officials to protect major mosques of the city through deployment of plainclothesmen, and also conduct search and strike operations in the areas around the imambargahs. He also asked for checking hotels, inns and hostels on a daily basis. Security personnel from Elite Force, Bomb Disposal Squad, policewomen, CTD, and Special Branch would be on duty.

The DPOs said that meetings had been held by the peace committees, religious scholars of Sunni and Shia sects, businessmen, journalists and notables of the area while a regional inspection team has also been formed to review the security and other situation of Imambargahs and procession routes on a daily basis and submit a report to the RPO and DPO concerned. The DPOs were asked to monitor the processions through CCTV cameras, install walk-through gates near Imambargahs. The official also said that SOPs should be followed in Muharram days. He said special passes should be issued to the policemen, members of the peace committee and journalists for security.