By Mustafa Ali
Lahore:A video link meeting was held at the Central Police Office Punjab, Lahore under the chairmanship of Inspector General of Police Punjab, Dr. Usman Anwar, to review the security arrangements for Muharram-ul-Haram. Additional IG Operations Punjab Shahzada Sultan briefed the meeting on the security measures being taken to ensure a peaceful and safe Muharram ul Haram. According to the Punjab Police Spokesperson, over 38,000 Majalis will be held and more than 9,200 mourning processions will be taken out across the province, including Lahore, during the first ten days of Muharram-ul-Haram.Over 232,000 officers and personnel will perform security duties during the first ten days of Muharram-ul-Haram. In the provincial capital Lahore alone, more than 28,000 officers and personnel will be deployed for Muharram security. Over 53,000 community volunteers will assist in the security of Majalis and more than 38,000 community volunteers will assist in the security of mourning processions throughout the province.IG Punjab, while directing officers to ensure implementation of security SOPs and expressing the resolve to keep Muharram-ul-Haram peaceful and safe, directed that due to the current strategic situation in the region, the security of Muharram-ul-Haram is more challenging and sensitive. Anti-state elements may attempt to create threats to national security and peace through terrorism and sabotage. Any attempt by peace-disrupting elements to incite sectarianism, religious hatred, or disturb law and order will be thwarted. All trouble and flash points should be resolved in consultation with stakeholders before Muharram-ul-Haram. All operational, logistics, transport, anti-riots, human rights, and traffic arrangements for Muharram should be completed in a timely manner. RPOs and DPOs should ensure coordination with peace committees, scholars of various sects, and organizers of mourning processions and Majalis. Senior police officers should personally inspect the security and traffic arrangements at the routes of mourning processions and at Imambargahs. IG Punjab further directed that, with the cooperation of the district administration, the removal of encroachments on mourning procession routes, patchwork of roads, functioning of streetlights, and other relevant matters must be ensured. Punjab Police will have full support from the Pakistan Army and Rangers, as well as other security institutions, during the first ten days of Muharram-ul-Haram. DIG Operations Punjab Waqas Nazir, AIG Operations, AIG Logistics, and DPO Hafizabad were present in the meeting, while RPOs, CPOs, and DPOs participated via video link.
