LAHORE, Dec 24: The city remained under tight police security on the eve of Christmas and the Quaid-i-Azam’s birth anniversary on Sunday that also coincided with the arrival of President Pervez Musharraf in the city on Monday (today).

Sources said 2,300 police officials were deployed at 424 churches of four categories in the city besides a large number of officials were also deployed at sensitive places, government offices, consulates, trade centres and public places.

Hundreds of officials with 30 motorcycles, 20 mobile squads and eight elite force vehicles were patrolling around the churches to avoid any sabotage activity.

An additional 2,200 officials, including plainclothes officials, were also called for VIVP security as the president was due in the city today on a two-day visit.

Police officials were deployed on the rooftops of four churches declared the most sensitive in Civil Lines Division.

The officials will use metal detectors at churches of A (sensitive) and B (less sensitive) categories besides doing bodily search of the participants.

Of 424 churches, 33 churches fall in A category, 42 in B, 183 in C while 165 in D category.

Six officials led by an inspector or a sub-inspector will be deployed at A category churches, three officials at B category while two will be deployed at C category churches.

Church administrators of D category have been asked to deploy their own guards.

Deputy Inspector General of Police (Operations) Aamir Zulfikar visited sensitive churches on Sunday to review security arrangements and asked the bishops and administrators to use one route for entrance and exit.

Later, he told a meeting of divisional superintendents of police to visit the churches of A and B categories in their divisions, monitor the deployment of officials and maintain close liaison with the administrators.