RAWALPINDI: In line with National Action Plan directives, security and counter-terrorism officials have asked the Rawalpindi district administration to improve three joint – army and police – checkposts that have been installed at the city’s entry and exit points.

A senior police official said that the decision to improve the joint checkposts (JCP) was taken at a high-level meeting of security and counter-terrorism officials held in the city recently.

Seven JCPs have been established at Rawalpindi entry and exit points. Of the seven, the authorities have asked the district administration to improve the layouts of checkposts 1, 4 and 6.

JCP 1 is located at Jhawara Mor, within the limits of the R.A. Bazaar police station, JCP 4 is located near the Khawaja Corporation, within the limits of the Civil Lines police station, and JCP 6 is located at Morgah.

As many as 32 police officials, as well as army commandoes and traffic police officers, have been assigned to the three checkposts.

The improvement of the checkposts has been taken up by the Rawalpindi commissioner, who has been asked to complete project on a priority basis.

A team consisting of construction and security experts, in consultation with security and counter-terrorism officials, has been directed to prepare a model to be implemented.

Rawalpindi regional police officer (RPO) Mohammad Wisal Fakhar Sultan Raja said that the improvement of joint checkposts is under consideration, as is the positioning of guards, the strengthening of police and security personnel and the improvement of lanes.

“The alert level has been raised to ‘high alert’ at JCPs in the wake of the recent terrorist attack in Peshawar,” he said, adding that tightened security at entry and exit points would make it difficult for anyone to carry out such attacks.

Published in Dawn, September 21st , 2015

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