Police Finalize Security Arrangements For 7th Muharram; 6000 Cops To Guard Processions

RAWALPINDI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th Sep, 2018 ) :The Rawalpindi district police have finalized security arrangements for 7th Muharram ul Harram while 6000 cops will provide security cover to the processions besides special traffic arrangements to regulate traffic load.

City Traffic Police (CTP) have devised a traffic plan for biggest mourning procession of the city to be taken out on 7th Muharram-ul-Harram (Tuesday) from Sadiqabad.

District police have finalized all the arrangements to provide foolproof security to the mourners.

According to City Police Officer (CPO) Rawalpindi Abbas Ahsan, all arrangements for the security of 7th Muharram procession have been finalized.

Strict monitoring of the procession will be conducted as Close Circuit Television (CCTV) Cameras have been installed at the route of 7th Muharram 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, he said adding, the police officials will use metal detectors along with the private guards of the Imam Bargahs 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 7th and Ashura processions will be conducted. Special drone cameras will also be used to monitor the main procession.

Special checking of the route of the 7th Muharram procession would be completed before start of the procession and bomb disposal squad will clear the route. The route of the main procession would be sealed completely.

A police spokesman informed that special search and combing operations are being conducted by the police in different areas. Special training sessions for police and private volunteers were also organized in Police Line Headquarters in which the participants were briefed about security and imparted training. Control rooms have also been established at regional and district level.

The district administration has banned the entry of 33 ulema belonging to different sects in the district and issued gagging orders for eight other scholars and Zakireen with a view to maintain peace and inter-faith harmony during Muharram ul Haram.

2082 is the number of Muharram processions and Majalis, being held during first Muharram to Ashura in Rawalpindi district.

Total 316 processions including 41 of A category, 63 of B category and 212 of C category are being organized. Similarly, 209 of A category, 355 of B category and 1202 of C category are included in total 1766 Majalis of the district.

The 7th Muharram procession to be taken out on Tuesday from Sadiqabad area and after passing through its traditional route will culminate at Imam Bargah Qadeemi before Fajr.

He said, police check posts have been established at all entry and exit points of the district while Muhafiz Squad and Elite Force patrolling has also been enhanced in different areas to avert any untoward incident. Special contingents of Army and Rangers have also been deployed in sensitive areas.

According to Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Muhammad Bin Ashraf, a comprehensive traffic plan has been formulated to secure the route of the procession of 7th Muharram-ul-Harram and facilitate the citizens.

He said, parking of vehicles and motorcycles would be banned along the route of the mourning procession while all traffic proceeding towards the route of the procession would be diverted to other routes.

The CTO said, enhanced number of traffic wardens would be deployed in the city to keep the traffic flow smooth. A control room has also been set up at Traffic Headquarters to monitor the situation.

The mourning procession of 7th Muharram would appear from Sadiqabad and after passing through Transformer Chowk, Sadiqabad, Kuri Road, Ali Road, Chah Sultan, Glass Factory, Dhoke Hukamdad, Zafar-ul-Haq Road, Murree Road, Committee Chowk, Fawara Chowk, Raja Bazaar, Dingi Khoei, Jamia Masjid Road culminate at Imambargah Qadeemi.

In order to provide security to the mourning procession, the traffic coming from Haji Chowk, Kuri Road, Chirah Road, Sadiqabad, ASF Headquarters, Gulistan Cinema, NBP Murree Road, Kohati Bazaar, Zafar-ul-Haq Road, Glass Factory, Dhoke Hukamdad, Mochi Bazaar, Himalton Chowk, Bansanwala Chowk, Purana Qila, Pull Shah Nazar, Pir Choha Road, Banni Chowk, Roshan Bakery Chowk would be diverted to alternative routes.

The Traffic Police Officers and Wardens have also been directed to block entry of vehicles on the route of the procession by erecting barricades and other hurdles.

He said that negligence on part of Traffic Police officials would notbe tolerated and all out efforts should be made to facilitate the mourners andgeneral public as well.