Army deployment in all provinces for Muharram duty approved

The federal government has given its approval to deploy Pakistan Army troops in all the provinces of the country during Muharram, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

The Interior Ministry issued a notification on Monday regarding deployment of the Pakistan Army soldiers.

The government in order to ensure foolproof security in Muharram has invoked Article 245 of the Constitution for deployment of Army soldiers in all the provinces.

The decision was taken on the requests of all provinces seeking Army deployment to assist the civil armed forces and police.

Army soldiers will also be on Muharram guard in Islamabad, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan.

In a related development, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has called a meeting to review the security arrangements for Muharram.

The meeting to be held at Interior Ministry in Islamabad will review security for Muharram Majalis and processions.

The minister will also issue directives for maintaining law and order during Muharram.

Islamabad IGP Ali Nasir Rizvi will brief the meeting about the security plan for the federal capital.

Lahore Police make elaborate security plan

On the other hand, Lahore Police have devised a comprehensive plan to provide security to processions and majalis during Muharram.

Spokesman for the Lahore Police said on Monday that 457 majalis of category A, 2,610 of category B and 801 of category C would be held in the city during the first 10 days of the holy month.

Further elaborating, he said that 17 licensed processions of category A, 74 of category B and three of category C would be taken out in the city, while 87 unlicensed processions of category A, 234 of category B and 43 of category C would be taken out.

He further said that over 11,000 police personnel and officers will perform duties during the first 10 days of the month.

On the other hand, CCPO Lahore Bilal Siddique Kamyana said that foolproof security would be provided to majalis and processions. “Special arrangements will be made at the city’s hotspots.”

He ordered the supervisors to remain on the field to provide security to category A processions and majalis.

CCPO Kamyana said that every moment of the processions would be monitored with the help of CCTV cameras.

Apart from that, he went on to say, lighting arrangements would be made along the routes of processions as well as at the venues of majalis. “Lady constables will be deployed to frisk the bodies of female mourners before their entry in a procession or a majlis,” he said, adding, “We plan to install CCTV cameras, walk-through gates and metal detectors for the security of large processions.

From Awais Kiyani