RAWALPINDI: As part of security measures for Muharram, City Police Officer (CPO) Mohammad Faisal Rana on Monday directed police to arrest all suspects who have been booked on charges of sectarian violence and under the National Action Plan (NAP) during the last decade but are still at large.

He also directed them to ensure daily attendance of all fourth schedulers at the relevant police stations.

The directives were issued during two separate meetings the CPO held with the sub-divisional police officers (SDPO) and station house officers (SHO) of the respective police circles, police stations and with all the three divisional superintendents of police (SP) of Rawalpindi.

He told the police to obtain surety bonds from miscreants as well as from those having any kind of suspicious or dubious record that they would not create law and order situation.

The CPO told the police that if a fourth scheduler did not register their attendance on daily basis at police station, he should be prosecuted under NAP.

He ordered the police to launch a search operation in private hostels and hotels and if they found a person residing illegally, he should be arrested immediately, besides registering a case against the hotel or hostel’s administration.

The CPO directed the police to launch an operation against suspects who were still at large in cases registered under NAP and on charges of creating sectarian and ethnic disturbance during the last 10 years.

The CPO also sought a report on arrest of such suspects on daily basis from the SHOs of all police stations, and asked the SDPOs and SPs to monitor progress in this regard.

The CPO said people placed on the Fourth Schedule of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) would be a risk to social peace and harmony, hence it was very important to keep track of their activities on a regular basis.

Therefore, the attendance of all fourth schedulers on daily basis has been made mandatory at all the relevant police stations, the CPO said.

The CPO said: “We have to maintain an enviable peace in Muharram at all costs; while maintaining the comprehensive writ of the law for which we will take whatever measures we have to take under the legal ambit to serve the requirements of our professional and operational service delivery.”

The CPO also directed the SHOs of all police stations to obtain a guarantee from suspects that they would act as law-abiding and peaceful citizens.

If any of these persons are directly or indirectly found guilty of any lawlessness or mischief, cases should be registered against them under the ATA.

Published in Dawn, August 20th, 2019