LAHORE, March 4: The Punjab police have been directed to make efforts to arrest all the absconders involved in sectarian cases before Muharram.

An order issued by the inspector-general of Punjab police to all the DIGs, asked them to take preventive steps and make security arrangements to ensure peace during Muharram.

The IG said a state of high alert be maintained during Muharram. He directed that security of all religious places, especially those which have been attacked in the past, be ensured at any cost. He ordered patrolling both on foot and mobile.

Similarly, he added, pickets should also be set up in a manner to provide maximum security to the religious places. Private guards on these places be briefed about their positions. The guards should be ordered to remain vigilant at the time of prayers.

Supervisory officers in all cities of the province should pay surprise visits to ensure that the instructions were properly implemented, the IG’s order read.

Meanwhile, all the police heads in the Punjab cities have been asked to prepare lists of sectarian militants, leaders of religious organizations and other irritants in their jurisdiction.

They have been directed to send the lists to the Punjab police secretariat for their submission to the home department for further action.

A senior police official, however, confirmed that the lists would be completed in a couple of days.

He confirmed that some leaders and activists would also be detained before Muharram.

He said the Punjab police were running short of manpower, especially after the transfer of several hundred of its officials to the investigation wings. To fill in the gap, he said, there was a proposal to hire people on temporary basis for the Muharram. It, however, would only be done if the Punjab government permitted to do so.

As far as the arrest of the sectarian activists was concerned, the official claimed that action had already been started on an informal order issued a couple of days ago.

About a dozen of them have already been taken into custody, he concluded.