ICT police being revamped to counter terrorism

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The Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) police are being trained under a contingency plan evolved by the Ministry of Interior. The police have taken numerous measures to control law and order situation and improve their performance, particularly identification of points for setting up check-posts to keep an eye on suspicious persons.
According to data obtained by APP on Monday, these check points are being rotated from one place to another, keeping in view the prevailing law and order situation. The break-up of these points is as followed: There would be 24 snap check points in City Zone, 20 in Saddar Zone, 14 in I-Area Zone and four in Rural Zone.
For a fool-proof security, the ICT Police have also set up 55 halting points from 2359 hrs to 0600 hrs, including 17 in City Zone, 21 in Saddar Zone and 17 in I-Area Zone, with deployment of 55 vehicles.
The patrolling system within the ICT has been revamped. Fifteen Falcons alongwith six commando vehicles have been deployed, which perform surveillance duty in three shifts to combat crime.
Another step taken was a survey of rented houses, places and city slums. Besides this, time to time survey of houses and places given on rent are also being conducted at police station level to ascertain the types of people living there and to keep an eye over their activities as well as to control the crime.
Surveys have also been carried out to ascertain the population residing in the slums to further improve the law and order situation.
The authorities also conducted a detailed survey of mosques situated within the ICT. Some 827 mosques and 280 Deeni Madaris are situated in the Capital. The ICT Administration has reintroduced beat system.
Experienced officers have been deputed in 44 beats of the capital with patrolling of a Falcon vehicle in each beat.
The citizen and vigilance committees are also functioning at police station level. With regard to display of arms, Arms Ordinance, 1965 is fully operative and the violators are being dealt with in accordance with the law, irrespective of their status.
Moreover, to deface the criminals involved in trafficking of illicit arms and ammunition, general hold-ups at outgoing and incoming roads are being conducted.
With the objective to redress grievances of general public and to involve the local police in community policing, 46 Community Police Centres (CPCs) are working within the ICT with deployment of an officer of rank of sub-inspector at each centre, to receive the complaints and to initiate an immediate action.
The police also frequently check the previous convicts physically or through informers. The police have sought the public cooperation to inform them about the suspicious persons. Leaflets and pamphlets are also being distributed for educating the inhabitants of capital.