RAWALPINDI: Inspector General of Police Punjab Mushtaq Ahmed Sukhera on Monday directed the Rawalpindi police to put four cordons of security for the Ashura procession on Tuesday.

The move came in the light of a fresh intelligence report that a group of 15 terrorists had moved to different parts of the country in the guise of mourners.

According to sources in the police, the intelligence report also said five of the suspected terrorists had been dropped at the motorway near Hasanabdal.

The IGP along with senior government officials visited Taleemul Quran madressah at Raja Bazaar on Monday and later attended a meeting to review the security arrangements. Regional Police Officer Akhtar Umar Hayat Laleka was also present on the occasion. The IGP directed the police to further tighten the security.

Fear of violence keeps people indoors

He also ordered the police to put four cordons of security instead of the three already planned and block all the link roads leading to the main procession route.

“There should be a curfew-like arrangements in areas around the procession route on Ashura. Checking of young men in their 20s should be ensured,” the IGP was quoted by sources as saying.

He also directed the police to open only one entrance to the procession route.

“A ban on pillion riding should be enforced in the city,” he added.

Meanwhile, the fear of sectarian violence and terrorist attacks and unprecedented security measures forced the residents of the city to remain indoors on Monday.

The main roads in the city gave a deserted look and markets remained closed.

Dozens of checkpoints have already been established at the exit and entry points of the city where strict checking of vehicles was being carried out.

“The checkpoints are doing nothing but causing traffic jam,” said a commuter.

Besides, joint mobile checkpoints by the police and army have also been set up to prevent any terrorist attack.

The deployment of law enforcement personnel will be started after midnight and roads leading to the main route of the Ashura procession will be blocked with containers.

“Not only are security officials but also civilians at risk,” a senior security officer said, adding the Special Branch had already pointed out some loopholes in the security plan chalked out by the district police.

The Special Branch has issued a terror alert to the district police, especially on the eve of Ashura, and asked it to take preventive measures so that no untoward incident occurred in the city.

Published in Dawn, November 4th, 2014