• Legal action will be taken in case of violation of security directives issued by police, warns letter
• Rawalpindi admin asks mosques and imambargahs to deploy trained security guards alongside police personnel in Ramazan

ISLAMABAD: The capital police have made managements of worship places responsible for security of their premises and asked them to ensure foolproof arrangements by implementing directives issued to them by the respective police station, sources in the police said.

The sources said that following the terrorist attack on an imambargah at Tarlai, the station house officers (SHOs) held separate meetings with ulema and managements of worship places in their respective areas. During these meetings, the SHOs issued directives for enhancing security to ensure peace in the worship places in Ramazan.

Later, the SHOs sent letters to the worship places, making them responsible for their own security.

According to a letter available with Dawn, at least one security guard should be deployed at each worship place during Taraweeh and other prayers. The security guard should be armed with a weapon; however, the weapon should not be allowed inside the worship area. Carrying weapon on the premises should be allowed only in Ramazan, it added.

Moreover, parking should not be allowed at the entry and exit points of the worship places or around it, and there should be a single entry and exit point.

Suspicious or unrelated persons should not be allowed to sit or remain inside the worship places. Besides, there will be a complete ban on hawkers, beggars and vendors, including those selling hats, outside the main gates.

Suspicious persons, activities or suspicious items will be reported to the police immediately. Search of people will be conducted before entry into the worship places.

Legal action will be taken in case of violation of the directives issued to the worship places, the letter added.

Earlier, the administration of Quba Mosque at I-8 had sought security for the workshop place in Ramazan due to the current situation.

The police said that in a written request the management of Quba Islamic Complex sought deployment of police. The request was made days after the Tarlai terror incident.

Jamia Masjid Quba is a well-known mosque where a large number of people from surrounding and distant areas come to offer Taraweeh prayers with their families.

Keeping in view of the current situation, deployment of armed police personnel should be made at the main gates of the mosque during prayers, including Taraweeh.

Increase patrolling of police mobiles around the mosque was also sought. Policewomen should also be deployed at the reserved entrance for women so that search can be carried out. The CDA should also be directed to make all streetlights functional.

Rawalpindi

The divisional administration Rawalpindi has asked administrations of mosques and imambargahs to deploy trained security guards alongside police personnel in Ramazan. Additionally, volunteers assigned duty in the holy month will receive proper training.

The direction was issued at a meeting held at Police Lines Headquarters under the chairmanship of Divisional Commissioner Abdul Amer Khattak and acting Regional Police Officer Syed Khalid Hamdani.

The meeting was attended by imambargah invigilators, mosque administration, members of the peace committee, scholars and the president of the traders association along with officials of the local administration.

The commissioner directed all officers to ensure complete coordination with the administrations of mosques, imambargahs and other religious institutions. He stressed strict monitoring of individuals coming from outside the city and ensuring proper registration of participants at religious gatherings.

Addressing the participants, the RPO said effective and foolproof arrangements were being ensured for the security of imambargahs, mosques and other important facilities. Monitoring is being done with CCTV cameras for the security of imambargahs and mosques. The checking system at the main entry points of imambargahs and mosques is being made more active. He also directed the administration of imambargahs and mosques to keep trained guards along with police duty.

The RPO ordered expedited search, sweep and combing operations in and around mosques, imambargahs and other sensitive places. Security duty should be ensured at all times at the mosques, bunkers and rooftops, he added. — Mohammad Asghar and Aamir Yasin contributed to this story from Rawalpindi.

Published in Dawn, February 14th, 2026