- CCTV cameras installed at all routes to monitor procession
- CPO says Quick Response Force to also protect mourners
RAWALPINDI: The administration has imposed a ban on the entry of 23 clerics of different schools of thoughts here to maintain law and order, peace and interfaith harmony during the first Islamic month of Muharramul Haram.
Without sharing names of the clerics, the administration issued a notification in this regard and informed the authorities concerned. On the other hand, the district police have finalised security arrangements besides special traffic arrangements to regulate the traffic load.
The City Traffic Police (CTP) have devised a traffic plan for the mourning procession to be taken out on Muharram 7 (on Tuesday) from Sadiqabad. As many as 6000 cops will provide security cover to the processions. City Police Officer (CPO) Abbas Ahsan confirmed the security plan.
Strict monitoring of the procession will be conducted, as the closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras have been installed at the route of the processions. The mourners will only be allowed to join the processions from different entry points. Quick Response Force would also be deployed for the protection of the mourners.
Special contingents of commandos and police officials will be deployed on sensitive points. Walk-through gates will be installed for main mourning procession, the senior police officer said, adding that the police officials would use metal detectors along with the private guards of the imambargahs and mourning procession managements.
Every participant of the processions will be checked properly. According to the security plan formulated in this regard, aerial surveillance of seventh and Ashura processions will be conducted. Special drone cameras will also be used to monitor the main procession.
He said that the bomb disposal squad will clear the route as special checking would be completed before the start of the procession. He also said that the route of the main procession would be sealed completely. A police spokesman said that special search and combing operations were being conducted by the police in different areas.