RAWALPINDI: The Punjab government has asked district administrations and divisional police chiefs to dovetail commercial banks’ security equipment with that of the police across the province to meet security equipment deficiencies and ensure foolproof security during Muharram.

According to sources, the Punjab government has asked divisional police chiefs and commissioners to meet with senior officials from commercial banks to ensure their support in maintaining security in Muharram.

In a directive to divisional police chiefs, the provincial authorities said that since the police are facing a shortage of security equipment for this Muharram, security equipment at commercial banks – such as medical detectors, walk-through gates and CCTV cameras – may be dovetailed in the overall security plan devised by local police.

However, a senior banker disputed the Punjab government’s idea to share security equipment with the police, saying banks could not risk sharing CCTV equipment with the police for security reasons.

“Dovetailing CCTV cameras with the police means violating the standard operating procedure of security guidelines by the State Bank,” a banker, who did not wish to be named, told Dawn.

He said sharing security equipment would endanger banks in the existing security situation. When asked, Regional Police Officer Mohammad Wisal Fakhar Sultan Raja confirmed that the police are demanding security equipment from banks for Muharram security.

According to security sources, police across the province have been directed to make sure all weapons, including riot gear, are in working order.

Published in Dawn, September 21st, 2017