RAWALPINDI: The entry of heavy vehicles into the Rawalpindi city has been banned for three days while pillion riding will not be allowed in the federal capital in connection with the security arrangements for the Eid Miladun Nabi processions on Tuesday.

The decision to ban the entry of heavy vehicles into the garrison city was taken on the basis of an intelligence alert that terrorists might use an explosive-laden mini-truck to hit the processions.

Besides, law enforcement agencies have also launched a crackdown against activists of banned outfits in the city, police sources told Dawn on Monday.

The security steps, including the ban on the entry of heavy vehicles, have been taken to ensure peace on Rabiul Awal 12, said Mian Maqbool, the senior superintendent of police (operation), Rawalpindi. He added that no heavy vehicle would be allowed to enter the city for three days.

To police also detained five activists of the outlawed Lashkar-i-Jhangvi under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO).

“Yes, five members of the banned outfit have been detained for 24 hours as they had been involved in terrorism cases in the past though they were not currently wanted by the police,” added Inspector Jehangir Bhatti of the Saddar Bairooni police.

The police have also decided to detain all those individuals who had been placed on the Schedule 4 of the Anti-Terrorism Act. Anyone put on the Schedule 4 of the ATA is monitored for their suspicious activities.

The police said they were also checking auto-workshops in the city because they feared that the mini-truck suspected of carrying explosives might be designed locally.

It may be recalled that a similar vehicle used for the attack on the convoy of former president General Pervez Musharraf in the Jhanda Chichi area in December 2003 was assembled in the city, said the police sources.

As part of the security, police teams, comprising Rangers and Elite Force commandoes along with 20 sniffing dogs would carry out a sweeping of the route of the Eid Miladun Nabi procession. No person will be allowed to board any vehicle taking part in the procession without a body search.

The main procession will be taken out from Jamia Masjid at Banni which after passing through different roads will end at the same point.

“The organisers of the procession have been directed to ensure the identification of the participants joining the procession at any point,” said SSP Maqbool. He added that only small vehicles would be allowed to join the procession through five security gates.

As many as 4,000 security personnel, including 150 from the Rangers and Punjab Constabulary, will be deployed in the city to maintain peace.

All the link roads on the route of the procession will be blocked with barbed wires.

Vehicles mounted with loudspeakers will not be allowed to enter the procession as the use of the loudspeaker has already been banned.

On the other hand, the City Traffic Police have also chalked out a traffic plan for the day.

In the meantime, the Islamabad capital administration banned pillion riding in the federal capital for three days.

Sources said the decision to ban pillion riding was taken during a meeting of the administration and police officials on Monday.

It was also decided that no procession would be allowed without its organisers obtaining prior permission (no-objection certificate) from the capital territory administration.

Traditionally, about 50 processions are taken out from different parts of the capital city in connection with the Eid Miladun Nabi celebrations.

Officers in police and administration said in the past there were also about 35 processions used to be taken out on Rabiul Awal 12.

However, there were no security arraignments for them.

This year, the organisers of some of the processions approached the police and the administration seeking NOC but due to the prevailing security situation their requests were turned down.

“Section 144 has been imposed in the capital city on the direction of the deputy commissioner Islamabad under which pillion riding is also banned,” said a police officer. Besides, gathering of five or more people is also considered illegal.

These steps have been taken as a precautionary measure through there was no specific threat to any procession in the city, he added.

Meanwhile, the capital police have also decided to deploy more than 2,200 policemen along with the personnel of Rangers for the security of various processions.

The bomb disposal squad will ensure technical sweeping of the routes and venues in the morning. Plainclothesmen will keep an eye on suspicious persons while CCTV cameras will be installed along the routes of the processions.