LAHORE, Jan 4: The army and contingents of civil armed forces, including Pakistan Rangers, will be deployed in 23 districts of the province for maintaining peace during Muharram.
Punjab IG Shaukat Javed told APP here on Sunday that the requirement of districts for deployment of troops was worked out realistically vis-a-vis the nature and extent of the security situation.
He said the requisition was made on the requests of the divisional commissioners, regional police officers, district nazims and DPOs of all such districts wherever it was considered absolutely necessary.
He said the home department on the directive of Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had requisitioned necessary army troops and civil force for deployment in these districts which included Sargodha, Gujranwala, Narowal, Muzaffargarh, Rawalpindi, Chakwal, Dera Ghazi Khan, Bahawalnager, Mianwali, Khanewal, Attock, Lahore, Sheikhupura, Kasur, Okara, Nankana, Mandi Bahauddin, Faisalabad, Jhang, Multan, Bhakkar, Sialkot and Gujrat.
The IG said round-the-clock control rooms -- one each at RPO and DPO levels -- had already been established across the province and connected to central control room at CPO which would monitor the overall law and order situation during Muharram.
High ALERT: Police have been put on high alert while additional force has been deployed at sensitive places to make the security arrangements more effective.
According to a handout issued on Sunday, CCPO Muhammad Pervaz Rathore has appealed to the people to cooperate with the police to ensure peace and sectarian harmony during Muharram.
He directed the divisional SPs to check hotels, guest houses and suspects in their respective jurisdiction.
The CCPO said owners of guest houses should not give rooms to their customers without the copy of a computerized identity card.
He also directed deployment of policemen in plainclothes at government buildings, bus and wagon stands and trade centers besides keeping a vigil on the people at entry and exit points of the city.
Mr Rathore said the people should inform the police about suspects and abandoned vehicles on telephone numbers: 9202369, 9203997, 9202881, 9200304 and fax numbers 9202973 and 9204037.
NOTICES: SSP (Operations) Chaudhry Shafiq Ahmed on Sunday issued show-cause notices to two sub-inspectors and three lower-subordinates for negligence during Muharram duty at imambargahs, majalis and mosques.
According to a handout, the SSP inspected different mosques and imambargahs to review security arrangements and found not inattentive two SIs, a head-constable and two constables outside two majalis in Saddar and Model Town divisions.
The SSP ordered the divisional SPs concerned to issue show-cause notices to the officials.
He made it clear that negligence in duty would not be tolerated and directed the SPs to bind the SPOs to check duties in their respective circles and hold briefings of deployed officials on a daily basis.Mr Ahmed further ordered to deploy fresh and active constables at sensitive religious places and gatherings with metal detectors, bulletproof jackets and latest weapons to thwart plans of anti-social elements.
He directed the SP (security) to get ensure that the DSP (legal) must submit the strength report of officials deployed outside religious places and majalis falling under the category A to the SSP office on a daily basis.
The SSP also directed to launch a search operation in Afghan localities and katchi abadis, especially on Bund Road, before Muharram 8.
He also asked to make videos of the sensitive gatherings between Muharram 7 and 10.