LAHORE: Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Tariq Saleem Dogar on Tuesday said law and order should be maintained at all cost during the month of Muharram.
He issued directives while addressing Regional Police Officers’ conference in Central Police Office. RPOs from across the province and the CCPO Lahore attended the conference and briefed the IG about security arrangements in their respective areas in Muharram.
The IGP said no one should be allowed to carry weapons and the schedule of processions and Majalis must be followed strictly. He said special security arrangements should be made at Imam bargahs, shrines and other religious places and audio-video coverage of all processions should be ensured. He also directed for checking routes of processions and deployment of special security staff at exit and entry points.
He said special steps should be taken for the protection of sensitive cities, districts and other places and special plans should be made keeping in view ground realities. He said loudspeakers should be banned, car parks should be made far away from processions and Majalis and generators must be ensured. He also directed the police officers to coordinate with intelligence agencies and meet the members of peace committees and Ulema.
The conference was briefed that 36,031 processions would be taken out and 126,117 policemen would protect them. Lahore Police has planned extensive security measures for Muharram to avoid any untoward incident and has decided to install 125 CCTV cameras on the routes of main processions on 10th of Muharram.
SP Civil Lines Umer Saeed Cheema said Lahore Police with the help of City District Government and with the help of locals have identified points where CCTV cameras are going to be installed. He said that Lahore Police will issue cards to all Razakars (volunteers), who will perform their duties in their respective areas.
He said that before processions, police officials with the help of bomb disposal squad will search the route and will remove all garbage drums and post boxes installed on the route.
