LAHORE, Dec 4: Two helicopters of army aviation will fly before and during two major processions of Zuljinnah in the city on Monday (today) and Tuesday for air surveillance.

Deputy Inspector General Operations Ghulam Mehmood Dogar told Dawn that the air surveillance was being made to improve overall surveillance of the processions in order to avert any untoward incident.

He said the choppers would start flying since morning and would remain on duty till the culmination of main procession between Nisar Havali and Karbala Gammay Shah on Tuesday evening.

The DIG said up to 5,000 police personnel performed Muharram duty on Sunday and more than 8,000 policemen would be deployed before start of main Zuljinnah procession on Youm-i-Ashur.

According to the revised security plan, as many 55 CCTV cameras would be functioning on the route (from and to Chohan Road, Islampura) of Zuljinnah procession of Muharram 9 while as many 65 CCTV cameras had been installed on the Zuljinnah route (from Nisar Havaili to Karbala Gammay Shah) on Muharram 10.

Similarly, as many five SPs instead of three of Lahore police would perform supervisory duty during the Muharram 10 procession to be taken out from Nisra Havali.

RANGERS: Pakistan Rangers (Punjab) have deployed 11 companies (1,300 personnel) in eight cities of the province in connection with Muharram duties.

Rangers will help police in case of any untoward incident, according to a press release issued by the Rangers’ spokesman.

Of the 11 companies, four have been deployed in Lahore and one each in Gujranwala, Attock, Chakwal, Dera Ghazi Khan, Multan, Bahawalpur and Jhelum.

FLAG-MARCH: Rangers carried out flag march in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Multan, Chakwal and Dera Ghazi Khan, with other law-enforcement agencies to show preparedness for maintaining law and order during Ashura. A demonstration was also held at Rangers (Punjab) headquarters here.