HYDERABAD: The Mati­ari district administration has decided to close all but three main gates of the Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai shrine for security reasons. It was also decided to raise a boundary wall around the shrine.

Matiari Deputy Commissio­ner Pervez Ahmed Baloch and SSP Asif Ahmed Bughio visited the shrine on Thursday to review security arrangements in the wake of a meeting of the district intelligence committee held two days back in the DC’s office.

The decisions about the shrine’s security were taken at the meeting.

The DC and SSP also revie­w­ed the ongoing uplift sche­mes of the shrine and decided to complete the works on war footings.

They directed officials of the works & services department to accelerate the pending works, including completion of control room.

Later, DC Baloch told local reporters that efforts were under way to ensure safety and security of devotees and other visitors to the shrine.

In reply to a question, he said some HIV-positive cases were reported from parts of Matiari district and the health department was accordingly been urged to provide kits for blood screening of people.

Answering another question, he said no permission was given by the district administration for opening of hotels during fasting timings. He said the Ehtaram-i-Ramazan Ordinance was being implemented in the district strictly.

Regarding price hike, he said heavy fines were imposed on profiteers, including shopkeepers and vendors selling their merchandise at exorbitant rates.

SSP Bughio told the reporters that the intelligence network in Matiari was being strengthened. “More deployment is being ensured for the protection of certain installations, including Bhitai’s shrine, as well the projects that were part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corr­i­­dor (CPEC) in the district,” he added. He said that security of the shrine was top priority of the district police. He said no laxity would be tolerated as far as security issues were concerned.

Published in Dawn, May 24th, 2019