PESHAWAR: City police will deploy about 12,000 cops in the provincial capital to ensure maintenance of peace and provide security to mourners on the eve of Ashura (the 10th of Muharram).

Briefing mediapersons about the security plan at Khan Raziq Shaheed Police Station where the city police have set up its control room, Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Mohammad Karim Khan said that they had chalked out an elaborate plan to ensure security of the imambargahs and mourners.

Mr Khan said that about 12,000 cops would be deployed all over the provincial capital for Muharram security. He said that all imambargahs of the city has been declared as sensitive and would be provided with three-layered security.

CCPO says 12,000 cops to be deployed in city on Ashura

He said that the mourners would also have to pass through three security checks before joining processions and entering places of worship.

He said that the city police had also set up 61 entry points all over the city which were being manned by 268 cops and snap checking points had been established at 565 points. He said that in addition to this at least 42 gun points had been set up in the city.

Mr Khan said that the police had started carrying out search and strike operations all over the city well before start of the month to maintain peace during Muharram.

He said that the police had carried out over 237 such operations in the city and its outskirts in which several suspects had been arrested.

He said that the police had installed CCTV cameras to monitor various parts of the city, processions’ routes and streets leading to imambargahs. A control room to monitor video feeds had been set up at the Khan Raziq Police Station.

The CCPO said that the city police had set up a command and control center to keep watch on the law and order situation where reserve personnel and officials were on duty. He said that police would ensure strict vigilance of entry and exit points of the city while all routes of processions would be swept by bomb disposal unit and sniffer dogs.

He said that personnel of rapid response force and anti-terrorist force would be deployed along with the armoured personnel carriers at sensitive places.

He said that the city police would also use drone cams to monitor the processions while the quarters concerned had been asked to keep the mobile signals shut on the 9th and 10th of Muharram.

He said that officials of Pesco, SNGPL, health, Rescue 1122 and other agencies would remain present at the central command post located in Kohati Chowk along with the police personnel.

He said that there were 61 imambargahs in the provincial capital and 116 processions would be taken out from 7th to 10th of Muharram. He said that the city would be on high alert after 6th Muharram. Mr Khan said that the Pakistan Army troops would be on standby to help the police.

In Lakki Marwat, Commissioner, Bannu division, Adil Siddique called upon the people to promote peace and religious harmony during Muharram and assist the local administration and police in maintenance of peace in the area.

He was talking to mediapersons after visiting the imambargh and routes of procession in Mohallah Sayyedan of Lakki city on Wednesday.

Published in Dawn, September 5th, 2019