LAHORE: Around 15,000 policemen will be deployed in the provincial metropolis on Eidul Fitr to provide the citizens with security which has been beefed up in the wake of Parachinar and Quetta blasts.

Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Amin Wains held a meeting at Police Lines Qila Gujjar Singh on Saturday to review the security plan on Chand Raat and Eid day.

According to the plan, 15,000 policemen include 20 SPs, 50 DSPs, 84 SHOs, 84 in-charge investigations, and lady police officers. The divisional SPs were directed to conduct mock exercises, flag marches and search operations in their areas before Eid and also ensure snap checking on different roads.

The Dolphin Force and Police Response Unit (PRU) were directed to patrol markets, bazaars, shopping plazas and religious places. Police reserves in civvies would also be the part of security plan.

As many as 60 places where the people turn up for Eid shopping would be guarded by the personnel deployed on rooftops, equipped with binoculars and sophisticated weapons.

Police would cover all the religious places, mosques, imambargahs, commercial markets, bazaars and shopping plazas. There are total 2,700 religious places, including mosques and imambargahs, and 200 open spaces where Eid prayers would be offered and under the plan, vehicles will be parked 200 meter away from the religious places.

DIG Operations Dr Haider Ashraf, DIG Investigation Sultan Chaudhry, DIG Security Dr Moin, CTO Rai Ijaz Ahmad, SSP Investigation Mubashir Maiken, SSP Admin Rana Ayyaz Saleem, all divisional SPs, DSPs and SHOs were present in the meeting.

The police high-ups also briefed the policemen on the security threats and directed them to keep an eye on suspicious elements.

The CCPO directed the CTO to organise awareness camps in and outside the markets to guide the public and keep the traffic flow smooth on the roads. He also directed the officers to constitute teams for monitoring and taking action against the people involved in aerial firing and kite flying.

TRAFFIC PLAN: The City Traffic Police has issued a traffic plan for Chand Raat and Eidul Fitr.

According to the plan, two SPs, 12 DSPs, 116 inspectors and more than 3,000 wardens, including 121 female wardens, will perform duty on Eid.

Action will be taken against the people involved in wheelies, encroachments, begging and wrong parking. Traffic wardens will not only ensure smooth of traffic but they will also keep an eye on suspected persons and vehicles.

Published in Dawn, June 25th, 2017