THIS is apropos the article ‘School security’ (Jan 25) by Ijaz Ahmed Qaiser. Hiring professionals to assess and manage the threat, with the acquisition of specialised equipment, will cost too much, and will not be possible for the majority of schools.

Intelligence gathering should be the first priority. Owing to the nature and number of targets, it will not be possible for law enforcers to either provide intelligence or to act at the time of the incident.

The formation of school security committees at tehsil, sector or city levels should be the first step. The committees must have representatives of local residents, law enforcers, parents’ and school administration. It should be responsible for liaison with the nearest police station, law enforcers and schools in its orbit.

The committee office should work round-the-clock with a telephone operator.

The residents around schools should keep an eye on outsiders and report any suspicious activity to the police station and the school security committee. Parents must ask their children not to talk to strangers as terrorists may use them for their activities.

Police and intelligence agencies should analyse the threat to individual schools and keep them informed about the latest security situation. The law enforcers must patrol the streets round-the-clock.

Kamran Syed

Buner

Published in Dawn February 14th , 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play