LAHORE, Feb 18: Security of foreign missions and installations have been beefed up besides other arrangements made for Ashura. "There are more than 200 places housing foreigners, especially the Americans , involved in different businesses in Lahore only," a source said.

Officials say that extra security measures have been taken to guard the installations and missions. Instructions have also been conveyed to the foreigners to keep police informed about their movement in advance so that their security be ensured, they claim.

There is a round-the-clock deployment on the US Consulate and the British Council and other buildings and offices associated to them, an SP said. Barricades have also been set up around the installations, he said, adding that no army troop has so far been deployed there. "It is only the police guarding the foreign missions and their installations so far.

Moreover, security for the places of worship has been doubled. Deployment at mosques, Imambargahs and churches has been increased besides police pickets outside them.

Senior police hierarchy have visited these places in various localities, including the walled city where most of processions and majalis are held, to inspect the security arrangements.

Furthermore, senior police hierarchy and the Punjab administration have held emergency meetings to review the law and order situation and the arrangements for Ashura. Instructions have been issued to all police heads in the Punjab to hold meetings and review their security plans adequately. Directions have been issued to keep in place all types of security measures except for flag marches for two days after the 10th of Muharram.