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ISLAMABAD, March 20: In wake of a recent attack on Protestant International Church, the capital administration has directed the installation of TV cameras outside all the churches in Islamabad and deployment of private security guards there to avoid any act of terrorism in future, a senior official told Dawn.
“The committees of all the churches in Islamabad have been asked to install TV cameras to monitor the outside activity,” he said.
The committees have also been directed to keep the doors of churches closed during the sermon.
The official said a delegation of Christian community called on the deputy commissioner, Islamabad, on Wednesday demanding better security of the churches in the capital.
A meeting in this connection will be held on Thursday at 10am to discuss various matters related to the security of churches and minorities.
The deputy commissioner has also issued orders for the deployment of more police force equipped with sophisticated weapons outside the churches.
APP ADDS: Meanwhile, Islamabad administration on Wednesday directed all the private security companies to deploy vigilant security guards at the places under their contract.
“The guards deployed on assignments should be extra vigilant during their duty time to avoid any untoward situation,” said a circular issued by the ICT administration.
Later, an effective strategy to fortify the security arrangements, especially during Muharram, was chalked out at a meeting held on Wednesday to review the existing security measures in the federal capital.
The Chief Commissioner, Islamabad, Mir Laiq Shah, presided over the meeting.
The meeting directed the district administration and Islamabad police to remain vigilant and take all precautionary measures to ensure security of every resident.
It also called for making extraordinary security arrangements at all the places of worship to avoid repetition of any untoward incident. The chief commissioner directed that all Sub-Divisional Magistrates must ensure round-the-clock surveillance of mosques and imambargahs in their respective jurisdictions, particularly the deployment of police force and private security guards at mosques and imambargahs should be checked regularly and negligent officials should be taken to task.
