RAWALPINDI: Sharp-shooters will be deployed at rooftops of the buildings located along the metro bus route on Wednesday when the service will finally be inaugurated.

Besides, the bomb disposal experts will sweep through metro bus stations.

The decisions were taken at a meeting chaired by Regional Police Officer Muhammad Wisal Fakhar Sultan Raja at his office to review the security arrangements for the metro bus inauguration ceremony.

Police have decided to prepare a list of the metro bus employees and send it to Special Branch for security clearance.

The special branch will then issue special cards to the employees who will display them prominently at the inaugural ceremony.

Talking to Dawn, a special branch official said the level of security alert would be raised to ‘red alert’ on Wednesday, though there had been no specific terror threat for Wednesday.

He said extra police from Attock, Jhelum and Chakwal will reach Rawalpindi to assist the local police in maintaining peace during the inauguration of the bus service as particulars of all of the students of madarassa located along the metro bus track will be sought and police will be deployed there.

He said though the inauguration ceremony of bus service was being held in Islamabad, a large number of people are expected to gather at bus stations located in the Rawalpindi territory. Therefore extensive security arrangements are being taken to avert any stampede and other untoward incidents.

In addition to the police, bomb disposal experts in special uniform will be on standby near the bus stations while a police patrolling in the city will be made effective.

Published in Dawn, June 2nd, 2015

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