KARACHI, Sept 4: Sindh Home Minister Rauf Siddiqi ordered strict actions against the use of firecrackers on the occasion of Shab-i-Barat. If anyone below the age of 18 years is found using fireworks on Shab-i-Barat, the father or guardian of the person will be locked up for one night. Anyone above 18 years will be arrested if found using fireworks and locked up for one night.

This decision was taken at a meeting here on Monday to review the arrangements for Shab-i-Barat and Ramazan.

The minister pointed out that Section 144 CrPC had been enforced with immediate effect against the use and sale of fireworks.

He appealed to the parents not to buy fireworks for their children as it would amount to pushing them into a death trap. In many cases precious lives are lost during such activities, he said.

It was decided that in order to ensure smooth flow of traffic on the occasion of Shab-i-Barat and during Ramazan, traffic personnel will work in liaison with police stations.

The minister said that joint complaint camps of police and traffic officials would be established on Shab-i-Barat while effective security measures would be taken at and around graveyards.

It was decided that mega phones would be used at roundabouts to control traffic and traffic laws would be strictly enforced.

The meeting decided that all minor crossings would be blocked at important roads and arrangements made to ensure continuous flow of traffic from Shahrah-i-Pakistan to I.I.Chundrigar Road, Guru Mandar, Liaquatabad, Aisha Manzil and Sohrab Goth.

Similarly smooth traffic movement will be ensured from Quaidabad to Banaras Chowk, Old Sabzi Mandi to Hasan Square and to NIPA crossing, from Garden to Golimar and further to Nazimabad. The meeting decided that parking on these important thoroughfares would not be allowed.

In case of traffic jam at a place, the DSP traffic and DSP police will immediately reach the spot along with their SHOs and SOs and ensure movement of traffic.

During Ramazan, it was decided that all-out security arrangements would be made at mosques and other places where Taraveeh was offered and the organisers would inform their area TPO and SHO of their programmes.

The minister directed that special security plan should be prepared for 27th of Ramazan and the same should be strictly enforced.

He said prior permission would have to be taken for holding Taraveeh prayers on roads so that proper security and traffic arrangements could be made.

The meeting was attended by CCPO Karachi, DIG operations, DIG traffic, DIG special branch, all TPOs, SSPs of four traffic zones and other senior officials.--APP