-7000 police officials to be deputed
-1000 traffic wardens to ensure traffic flow
Lahore: All the concerned departments including, district administration, police, civil defence, Rescue 1122, traffic police and the Lahore Parking Company, have finalised the arrangements for the Youm-e-Ali that will be marked on Saturday amid tight security.
On Wednesday, Deputy Commissioner Sumair Ahmad Syed visited the route of the main procession of Youm-e-Ali in the walled city to finalise the arrangements for the main procession. “Foolproof security arrangements for the Youm-e-Ali would be ensured and 136 cameras will be installed for rigorous surveillance of the main procession and the procession will be monitored from the control room established at the DC office,” he said while visiting the route of the main procession on Wednesday.
The Lahore police have prepared a rigorous security plan on the eve of Youm-e-Ali every year as three deadliest suicide blasts had claimed over 18 lives and injured more than 150 devotees in 2010 when the main procession of Youm-e-Ali was about to conclude at Karbala Gamay Shah.
It would be the first Youm-e-Ali since a horrific suicide blast that took place at Lahore’s Chairing Cross killing over 13 people, including Lahore’s DIG Traffic and SSP Operations. Therefore special security arrangements have been made this year on the Youm-e-Ali.
More than 7000 police officials will be deputed for the procession of Youm-e-Ali and devotees will be allowed to enter the procession only after passing through a four-tier security layer while all the markets near the route of the procession will remain closed. Special commandos of the police will be deputed at the rooftops of important buildings near the route of the procession while metal detectors, walk through gates, barbed wires and CCTV cameras installed by the Punjab Safe City Authority will also be used to monitor the main procession.
Lahore CCPO Amin Wains also chaired a meeting the other day with the religious scholars of the city hailing from different sects urging them to promote interfaith harmony for the sake of peace. Lahore Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Operations of Dr Haider Ashraf has also directed his team to carry out combing and search operations on the daily basis especially in the Afghan colonies, railway stations, bus stands and hotels.
The meeting was attended by DIG Operations Dr Haider Ashraf, DIG Investigations Sultan Chaudhry, DIG Security, SSP Investigations Ghulam Mubashir Maikan, SP Security Abadat Nisar and divisional SPs among others.
Moreover, Chief Traffic Officer SSP Rai Ijaz Ahmed has also issued a special traffic plan for the Youm-e-Ali and 19 traffic diversion points will be made in the city to ensure the security of the procession. More than 1000 traffic wardens will be deputed on the route of the main procession under the supervision of 42 inspectors, 4 DSPs and 1 SP.
The City Traffic Police has also decided to depute 111 lady traffic wardens who will also check the women devotees coming to the procession. “A very comprehensive plan is devised to facilitate the commuters on the eve of Youm-e-Ali and traffic wardens have also been directed to be on the lookout for the suspected vehicles keeping in view the law and order situation of the city,” CTO said, while adding that 7 parking points have been established for the devotees of the procession.
According to media reports, the city could face possible terrorist attacks, especially during Ramzan. The city police and intelligence authorities have been working to closely to ward off any potential terrorist attack that can target the government installations, including places of worship and public gathering.
