Islamabad : Tops cops of the twin-cities ensured providing peaceful atmosphere on the occasion of Chehlum of Imam Hussain (AS). By and large 7,000 personnel of police and other law enforcement agencies including Rangers and constabularies, would be deployed at Imambargahs and routes of the mourning processions.
Chehlum of Imam Hussain (AS) will be observed today (Friday) in the federal capital territory and on 20th Safar (September 17) in Rawalpindi, with tight security measures with full religious enthusiasm and dedication in a peaceful atmosphere.
Four-ring security plan was adopted to counter possible terrorist attack at every level, while surveillance was conducted by a team led by the operational commanders of the twin-cities. The procession would be taken out with religious fervour and devotion. Over 2,500 policemen including personnel of civil and sensitive intelligence agencies would be deployed on the occasion. Under the security arrangements, no one would be allowed to stand on rooftops of commercial and residential buildings situated along the procession route.
According to a statement issued by the office of the operational police command of the Islamabad police, the Federal Capital Islamabad Police have finalised the security arrangements for procession in connection with Chehlum of Imam Hussain (AS). Special checking of the routes would be carried out before the start of the procession, whereas the mourners would be checked with metal detectors and walk-through gates installed at the entry points.
A meeting presided over by the Senior-Superintendent of Police (Operations) Malik Jameel Zafar was held to review the security arrangements which was participated by all zonal SPs, SDPOs, SHOs and other officials. Speaking on the occasion, SSP Operations said that heavy contingents of Islamabad police and Rangers besides personnel of other law enforcement agencies will perform patrolling and security duties on this occasion. The main procession would be taken out from Imambargah Asna-e-Ashri, Sector G-6/2 and will be completely cordoned off through heavy deployment.
He said that police officers including SPs will also visit various police posts, lying in the route of procession, check security duties and brief cops on how to ensure effective security. The streets and redundant tracks will be closed through barbed wires while proper lighting arrangements would be made along the route of the procession. The SSP said that the procession will be monitored through safe city cameras, smart cars, surveillance and drone cameras and DIG (Safe City) would supervise all this process. Armed policemen would be deployed at rooftops of buildings while snipers would also take positions at various buildings. The staff of bomb disposal squad would also conduct complete search of the procession’s route through robots and other modern technology.
Special arrangements will be made by the Special Branch for checking of participants and walk-through gates will be installed at all the entry points of ‘Majalis’.
Metal detectors will be used for checking of participants of ‘Majalis’, processions and high vigilance will be maintained by the police officials which will help in peaceful holding of all events. The SSP Operations has directed all officers that this procession is very important and sensitive and each officer would take its responsibility for foolproof security.
While, in Rawalpindi, on the occasion of Chehlum of Imam Hussain (AS) being observed tomorrow (Saturday), City Police Officer (CPO), Shahzad Nadeem Bokhari would supervise the security measure taken to keep peace in the district with 4,500 armed police personnel and other law enforcement agencies including intelligence agencies.
Police command responsible for the security of the twin-cities, said when contacted that with the tight security gauges, helicopters kept flying on the Markazi Imambargah in Islamabad and Colonel Maqbool Imambargah in Rawalpindi and routes of mourning procession while the police commandos were deployed outside the fence installed to protect the processions. Extremely stringent security measures were taken in and around the Imambargah Markazia in G-6/2 and Imambargah Colonel Maqbool as well as the routes of the mourning processions. The persons entering into the security circles of Imambargahs, would be checked and body-searched at four different stages by the scouts of Imambargah and police.