- CM orders security audit of shrines, mosques, temples
Police in Jamshoro have lodged an FIR against four unidentified suspects for carrying out a terrorist attack at the shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar (RA) in Sehwan.
According to the FIR, three suspects were involved in recce, while the fourth one carried out the bombing at the shrine.
The FIR was registered on the complaint of sub-inspector Rasool Bux Panhwar, the station house officer for the Sehwan Police Station, under the sections 302, 353, 324, 295, 440, 120/B and 149 Pakistan Penal Code, ATA 6/7 and Explosives Act 3/4.
At least 88 people, including children and women, were killed and over 340 wounded in the attack when a bomber ripped through the crowded shrine during dhamaal on Thursday.
The terrorist group Islamic State claimed the responsibility for the assault.
SECURITY AUDIT
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah Saturday decided to conduct a security audit of all the shrines, mosques, temples, churches and other such holy places of worship.
“We have to place efficient systems in place to fight terrorists,” he said while chairing a meeting at the CM’s Secretariat to review the security of holy places and other public places.
The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Rizwan Memon, IG Sindh AD Khowaja, Additional IG Karachi Mushtaq Maher and Additional IG CTD Sanaullah Abbasi among others.
The divisional commissioners briefed the chief minister about the number of shrines, holy places of worships of different religions and sects and told him that security at these places had been beefed up.
The Auqaf secretary told the chief minister that there are 80 shrines under the Auqaf department and was instructed by the chief minister to provide adequate security to each of these places of worship.
He directed A D Khawaja to conduct a security audit of every important place, including shrine, temples, churches, mosques, Imambargahs, hospitals and such other places.
He directed the Sindh police chief to constitute a special team comprising security audit experts and members of the Auqaf department to suggest necessary measures.
The chief minister was informed by the divisional commissioners who attended the meeting through video link that there were are 150 shrines, seven churches, 44 temples in Larkana division.
Around 17 shrines, six Imambargahs, 50 temples in Shaheed Benazirabad Division.
In Sukkur division, there were 29 shrines and a number of temples and Imambargahs.
The chief minister directed divisional commissioners and DIGs to direct their DCs and SSPs to keep reviewing security regularly.
“The war against the terrorists is of grave importance and we have to win it with the support of our people,” he said.
Additional IG Karachi Mushtaq Maher said that in Karachi there are 6,560 mosques, 350 shrines, 100 churches and of them 40 are active, over 100 temples and three Gurdwaras.
“Normally over 500 policemen are deployed there for security but on Friday night and their security is enhanced and over 1500 to 2000 police men are deployed there,” Maher informed the attendees of the meeting.
The CM on the advice of chief secretary Rizwan Memon approved recruitment of local searchers — male and female, purely on merit by Auqaf department who would be given special training by the police. These searchers would search each and every visitor for security.
He also directed the Auqaf department to install closed-circuit television cameras at all the important shrines and establish a control room to keep an eye on the movement of each and every visitor.