RAWALPINDI: In the wake of prevailing security and political situation across the country, police would remain on high alert in the garrison city, with around 1,200 officers deployed and 47 police pickets set up at the entry points and downtown city areas to ensure peace and smooth flow of traffic on Oct 15.

“Special law and order duties have been assigned and more than 1,150 police personnel, headed by three SPs and 10 DSPs, have been deployed to maintain law and order in the city on Oct 15. Among them are officials from the Elite Force, Dolphin Force and women police,” a senior police official said.

Police officials have also been directed to keep with them handcuffs and mega phones to ensure arrests of miscreants. A DSP and SHO will be responsible for supplying six teargas guns, 500 teargas shells, two 12-bore guns with 100 rubber bullets and six teargas grenades to every police picket.

Police personnel will only carry anti-riot equipment and no weapon and nobody would be allowed to enter the Red Zone. Anybody found absent from duty will face departmental inquiry, which might lead to dismissal from service.

Police pickets will be established at Liaquat Bagh turn, Pirwadhai Mor, CDA Chowk, Railway Carriage Factory, Jang building U-Turn, Rialto Chowk, Committee Chowk, Darbar Shah Talian, Chandni Chowk, Shamasabad stop, Faizabad, Karnal Sher Khan Road, Double Road turn, Khanna bridge, Bahtar Mor, N-125 Junction Wah Cantt, Opel Chowk Wah Cantt, Taxila N-5, Hakla Interchange, Charring Cross, MH Chowk, T&T Chowk, Chungi No 22, Saddar metro station, Marrir Chowk, Kutchery Chowk, Shalimar Hotel, Soan Bridge, Gulzar-i-Quaid, Ammar Chowk, Chaklala Scheme III, Thalian picket, Chakri Interchange, Biscuit Factory Chowk, Jorian Mor, Dhama Mor, Kalial, Adiala Jail, Gorakpur, Chak Beli Mor, G.T. Road Gujar Khan, Mandra Toll Plaza, Press Club Kahuta and Mureed Chowk Kallar Syedan.

Detective foot constables (DFCs) in plainclothes will be deployed as they would be responsible for passing timely information to their seniors about any public rally. Police contingents accompanied by women police will also patrol their respective areas.

Five sections of Elite Force, equipped with anti-riot gear, will remain on standby in the Police Lines headquarters, while a squad of 10 women police personnel will be on standby in the women police station.

The chief traffic officer will be responsible for managing traffic in the city on Oct 15.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Operation Hafiz Kamran Asghar will supervise the overall security on Tuesday.

Published in Dawn, October 15th, 2024