Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Naqvi on Monday convened a meeting to review the security arrangements made in view of the holy month of Muharram, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

The meeting, to be held at the Interior Ministry’s building, will discuss the arrangements being made to provide security to processions, majalis during the holy month.   

In this regard, the minister will also give necessary instructions to the concerned officials so that inter-sectarian harmony could be ensured during the month.  

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ali Nasir Rizvi will brief the meeting about the plan drawn up to prevent any untoward incident.  

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.

The CCPO directed that search operations should continue.  

He also directed the police officials to remain in contact with religious scholars and organizers of majalis and processions.

Reporters: Awais Kiani and Irfan Malik