DAWN.COM

SADLY the environment in the country, especially in big cities like Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad/Rawalpindi, has become unsafe owing to the ongoing war on terror.

Mosques and shrines, once thought to be safe places, are no more secure. Ramazan is approaching fast and under such a unsafe situation in the country a large gathering at mosques etc, especially for ‘traveeh’, provides an easy target for terrorists.

Here are some suggestions about how to be safe inside mosques and at your home during Ramazan.

Every mosque management should form a watch committee to monitor security. A team of young unarmed volunteers should carry out round-the-clock watch and look out for any suspicious activity in and outside the mosque.

All entrances to the mosque should remain locked except the main entrance which should be manned either by policemen or by mosque volunteers. However, other entrances should be opened during prayer timings only and must remain under strict security watch. Similarly, if prayers are held in the mosque’s courtyard, it should be covered with canopies and surrounded by
partitions to pre-empt any attack from outside. Mosques should be well-lit at night.

For monitoring internal and external areas of the mosque the government should also consider installing closed-circuit TV
surveillance cameras, with videocassette recorder, in prominent mosques.

The mosque committee should also organise a neighbourhood watch system in coordination with shopkeepers, hotel owners, hawkers and residents of the area around the mosque. Services of private security agencies can also be hired for this.

Also, during this month houses become vulnerable to burglars and dacoits at Sehri timings when people are busy preparing and taking Sehri and during Traveeh timings when male members of the family leave the house.

Women In the absence of male members during ‘traveehs’ or ‘Fajr’ prayers women should remain alert. Door should only be opened after satisfying the identity of the person knocking at it. Children too should be briefed about security precautions that
they should inform before leaving the house for playing outside or going somewhere so that the door is closed.

SQN LDR (Rtd) S. AUSAF HUSAIN
Karachi