LAHORE: As many as 5,000 police personnel will be deployed in various areas of the city to ensure security of the mosques during the month of Ramazan.

Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Ghulam Mahmood Dogar stated this while chairing a security review meeting for Ramazan and implementation of coronavirus standard operational procedures (SOPs) at his office on Sunday.

He said coordinated efforts for sustainable peace should be made to promote interfaith harmony, brotherhood, love and fraternity among various religious sects of Islam to overcome the present challenges.

The CCPO directed the officers to make foolproof security arrangements with integrated efforts and cooperation of religious scholars and civil society.He appealed to the religious scholars to play their role for promotion of peace and religious harmony during the month of fasting.

Mr Dogar also asked the scholars and mosque’s administrators to extend support to the government in its efforts for implementation of the coronavirus standard operating procedures during prayers in the wake of the third wave of the pandemic.He appealed to all the concerned to refrain from any hate material, speeches and illegal use of loudspeakers.

The CCPO said foolproof security would be provided to the religious programs and ceremonies during the whole month.

He directed all the divisional police officers to develop a constant liaison with Ulema and mosque administrations to implement a security plan as well as safeguard the citizens from the coronavirus.

According to the plan, more than 5,000 police personnel will perform security duty in Ramazan, including Police Response Unit (PRU), Dolphin Squad and Elite Force teams, to ensure effective patrolling around mosques, imambargahs, Ramazan Bazaars, markets and other business centres.Snipers will be deployed on the rooftops of sensitive mosques.

Published in Dawn, April 12th, 2021