Police and Rangers have been put on high alert in the province in the wake of the persistent threat of terrorism, particularly, in Karachi city, on the occasion of Eidul Azha. The Interior Ministry has already notified the chief secretary to take appropriate security measures during the festival. Police patrolling at all the public places, particularly, shopping centres and cattle markets, was beefed up on Sunday while law enforcers have also been deployed at in sensitive areas.
Security will also be provided at all mosques, Eidgahs and imambargahs as well as places that could be prone to violence in case of any untoward incident. “The Sindh inspector general of police (IGP) Mushtaq Ahmed Shah has ordered deployment of at least 15,000 personnel, including senior officers, for security purposes in Karachi alone,” a spokesman for the Sindh police told APP on Sunday.
The IGP has issued directives to deputy inspector generals of police to ensure implementation of the Eidul Azha contingency plan by maintaining a high degree of alertness and effective deployment in addition to snap checking and mobile and motorcycle patrolling.
He also stressed the need for maintaining police vigilance in all areas of the province, especially giving attention to sensitive areas.
Karachi Additional Inspector General of Police Ghulam Shabbir Sheikh informed the IGP that a contingency plan is already in place to provide security to the public during Eid prayers, sacrificing of animals and donation of hides and transportation of hides.
The additional Karachi IGP said that 9,823 police personnel will be deployed at 2,925 mosques, 131 imambargahs, 445 Eidgahs and 20 worship places of other sects.
Around 5,485 police personal have been assigned responsibilities at cattle markets, storage and collection points of hides, public places etc.
The SPs and SHOs have been directed to ensure police motorcycle patrolling with the instruction that the route of patrolling should be devised in a manner that it covers all sensitive points where Eid congregations will be held.
Sheikh ordered to deploy plain-clothes surveillance teams at the police station level in and around shopping centres, parking spaces, crowded places, cattle markets and Eid congregations.
