LAHORE, March 19: Punjab Chief Secretary Imtiaz Masrur said on Tuesday that directions had been given to police and other law enforcement agencies to further tighten security during Muharram in view of the acts of terrorism in Islamabad and Lahore.

Talking to reporters here at the Civil Secretariat, he said he had issued a direction to the police on Monday and again on Tuesday asking them to revise their security plans and arrangements and further tighten security to preempt any untoward incident.

In Lahore alone, two each policemen were patrolling streets on 160 motorcyclists. In addition, police on 70 police pickups and 29 cars and hundreds of plainclothesmen were keeping an eye on miscreants.

“All-out efforts have been made to ensure peace and guard against any untoward incident and there is no need to worry,” the chief secretary said, adding all district Nazmeen had already held meetings on law and order during Muharram with police and notables of their respective areas.

He said peace committees below the level of police stations had been activated to involve people in the process of peace keeping during Muharram.

The chief secretary said during a meeting on law and order on Monday it was decided to ask the managements of major mosques, Imambargahs and majalis to ensure their self-vigilance which would be supplemented by police.

He said like in the past years extraordinary security measures would be taken during the main Ashura procession in Lahore.

At the moment there was no plan to ban pillion riding but if decided by the federal government it would be imposed.

Meanwhile, Punjab Home Secretary Brig Ejaz Shah (retired) has directed the Punjab Crisis Management Cell to take stringent measures to cope with any emergency situation during Muharram.

Police and home department staff would be on duty round-the-clock and the centre had been linked with the central crisis centre in Islamabad and those in other provinces through wireless, telephone and fax.

People have been asked to contact on telephone No 9210301 or FAX No 9210302 in case of any incident or emergency.