PESHAWAR, Feb 9: Twenty-one platoons of the Capital City Police will be on duty to provide security to religious processions during Muharram while Frontier Constabulary and Frontier Corps will serve as the back-up force, sources said on Wednesday.

According to the security plan, 18 platoons of police with a total strength of 335 will be deployed at 67 imambargahs in the city and their strength will be increased on 9th and 10th of Muharram.

One each platoon will be deployed at Dar-i-Abbas, Beri Bagh and Sakhi Shah Mardan Imambargahs owing to the sensitivity of the localities. Four armoured personal carriers will be stationed each at Kabuli Chowk, Kohati Chowk, Munda Bheri and Waliabad locality.

Police will erect barricades at all entry points of the city to check suspicious vehicles. Afghan refugees will not be allowed to enter the city during the first 10 days of Muharram. Five patrolling teams have been constituted to keep an eye on the traffic. Policemen will occupy rooftops of main buildings on the routes of Muharram processions.

Meanwhile, at a meeting on Wednesday, NWFP Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani directed law enforcement agencies to improve the intelligence gathering mechanism and ensure foolproof security during the holy month. He stressed the need for making the intelligence gathering mechanism innovative and effective.