KARACHI: At least 5,700 policemen would be deployed in Karachi to protect mourning processions and gatherings in an attempt to thwart possible terrorist attacks in the city, said Karachi Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Fayyaz Ahmed Laghari on Sunday while unveiling the security plan for Muharram in a press conference held at the Police Headquarter.
“Beside these 5,700 policemen, several others security personnel – including 1,000 commandos of the Special Protection Group (SPG), personnel from the police’s Special Branch, Crime Investigation Department, Special Investigation Unit, traffic police and others also be present at the main procession,.” he said.
“Pakistan Rangers jawans would also provide security in collaboration with the local police,” the CCPO said.
Leghari said the police have made separate routes for the fire brigades and the ambulances as there are possibilities that the terrorists can use such vehicles. To a question, he said, there is intelligence sharing and some suspects from the city have also been detained and the raids are being carried out in their hideouts.
He further said the routes would be checked by the bomb disposal squad (BDS) before the arrival of the procession. The police also have changed the security plan for the hospitals and in this regard, he said, adding that Rangers would also assist police to protect hospitals so as to avoid a repeat of last year’s incidents at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) last year.
He said traffic police would also issue alternative routes for 8th, 9th and 10th of Muharram-ul-Haram. Close Circuit Cameras have also been installed in the routes of main procession and aerial surveillance would also be carried out throughout the helicopters of the Chief Minister Sindh and Pakistan Rangers, he said. He warned the participant of the procession that no vehicle without sticker or pass would be allowed in the processions. The main processions would be monitored with the help of CCTV cameras installed in routes of main processions, he said.
He said three walkthrough gates would be installed at the entry point of the main processions and the markets at main M A Jinnah Road would remain closed from 8th to 10th Muharram and snipers will be deployed at the rooftops of the buildings. DIG South will supervise the security arrangements and eight Superintendents of Police will work under his supervision, he concluded.
