KOHAT: The Kohat administration on Friday decided to call out army to ensure peace during Muharram in the district, which has been declared as the most sensitive area from security point of view.

The decision was necessitated after the intelligence agencies informed the district administration that 13 out of 43 imambargahs in Kohat were most sensitive for which proper safety measures needed to be taken. Eleven mosques have also been declared as vulnerable.

The security plan for Muharram was finalised at a meeting chaired by Kohat district police officer Saleem Marwat and attended among others by security and intelligence officials here on Friday, source said.

They said that Mr Marwat informed the meeting that 2,500 security personnel would be deployed in the Kohat city alone. He said that army would guard three main imambargahs in the city while police would be deployed at the imambargahs in the Bangash belt on Hangu road.

Besides, all entrance and exit points of the district would be strictly guarded and no person or vehicle would be allowed to enter Kohat without thorough checking, the DPO was quoted as saying.

The police official said that all roads leading to Kohat from Orakzai Agency, Darra Adam Khel and Hangu district would be sealed on 9th and 10th of Muharram. He added that air surveillance would be conducted of the processions on 9th and 10th of Muharram.

The police chief said that imposition of curfew in the district was also possible if the situation so demanded.

The DPO said that general deployment would be constituted of regular police force, Frontier Constabulary, police’s Elite Force and Razakars. The Kohat bazaar would be sealed during Ashura processions, he added.

Meanwhile, talking to Dawn on phone, Hangu police chief Sajid Kundi said that 3,000 personnel were expected to be deployed in the district, which was also one of most sensitive places. However, he said that decision of deploying army in Hangu was to be made by the provincial government.

Mr Kundi said that 26 imambargahs had been declared sensitive in Hangu.

Meanwhile, a jirga of Shia and Sunni elders was convened at the deputy commissioner house here on Friday. Deputy commissioner Riaz Khan Mehsud said that both the sects would be headed by Javed Ibraheem Paracha and former Peshawar High Court chief justice Syed Ibne Ali to resolve all outstanding disputes before start of Muharram.

He warned that action would be taken against those travelling on the roofs of public transport during Muharram.

DERA ISMAIL KHAN: The district police have worked out a robust security plan to ensure peace and harmony during Muharram, particularly during observance of Ashura.

DPO Sadiq Hussain Baloch told mediapersons on Friday that the district had been divided into six sectors with deployment of 5,000 policemen to control law and order situation and protect lives and property of people.

He said each sector would be supervised by a DSP, and would have strong coordination with control and operation rooms to implement the plan effectively and ward off any untoward incident.

Besides establishing a control room in the police lines and operation room in the DPO office, he said, army and police personnel would be jointly patrolling roads and conducting search operation on daily basis for peaceful observance of 9th and 10th of Muharram.

He said that checkposts would be set up at main arteries of the district and exit and entry points would be sealed at CRB canal, Darya Khan bridge, Qureshi Mor, metrological department road, new Bannu Chungi and Dinpur road to thwart any terrorist activity in the city.

LAKKI MARWAT: A meeting chaired by Lakki Marwat DPO Ismail Kharak on Friday reviewed security arrangements for Muharram in the district.

SP investigation Mohammad Saddique Khan, station house officers of all police stations and in-charge officers of police posts were in attendance.

An official said the meeting finalised security plan for the 10th of Muharram and assigned duties to police officials. “Besides, the meeting decided to set up nakabandi points in and around Lakki city and tighten checking of suspected vehicles and individuals,” said the official.

He said that the meeting also decided to scan routes of mourning processions with the help of bomb disposal squad and provide complete security to the mourners.

The official said that cops in plainclothes would be deployed in the urban locality especially in Mohalah Sayyedan from where Muharram procession would be taken out.

He added that sitting on rooftops, display of weapons and illegal use of loudspeaker and issuing or distributing hate statements and material had also been banned.

The DPO also held a meeting with the members of peace committee and elders of Shia and Sunni sects, and urged them to promote brotherhood, tolerance, patience and religious harmony during Muharram.

Published in Dawn, October 18th, 2014