PESHAWAR/KOHAT: The Peshawar city police will deploy about 10,000 personnel to ensure security during Muharram, while 4,300 personnel are being deputed in Kohat and Hangu for the purpose, according to the security plans finalised by the respective authorities.

A statement issued in Peshawar said that the security plan for Muharram had been prepared. It quoted capital city police officer Abbas Ahsan as saying that they were also in contact with the Pakistan Army and other institutions to ensure foolproof security.

He said the city police had chalked out the security plan in coordination with the district administration. He said that they had also held talks with the traders, religious scholars and other departments in connection with the peaceful observance of Muharram.

Mr Ahsan said that entry of vehicles to the interior parts of city would be banned on Ashura.

Arrangements also finalised for Kohat, Hangu

He said that a control room had been set up at the East Cantonment police station for monitoring imambargahs, procession routes and sensitive places while the supreme command post, to be staffed by all departments, would be established at the Kohati Chowk in the interior city.

The CCPO said that entry of Afghan refugees to the provincial capital would be restricted.

He said that bomb disposal unit would sweep all the procession routes, imambargahs and sensitive places through detectors and sniffer dogs while all these places would be monitored through CCTV cameras.

He said that all the events would be provided a three-layered security and snipers would be deployed on rooftops and high buildings along the procession routes.

Mr Ahsan said that about 1,000 traffic police officials would be deployed as part of the security plan. Chief traffic officer Abbas Majeed Marwat said all roads leading to the procession routes would be closed to traffic during Muharram.

In Kohat and Hangu districts, the police are deploying a total of 4,300 personnel for security of mosques, imambargahs and other places during Muharram. Both the districts have been declared as sensitive.

As many as 2,500 personnel would be on duty in Kohat and 1,800 in Hangu to guard the worship places.

In their statements, the Kohat and Hangu DPOs said that pillion riding, display of weapons, unnecessary use of loudspeakers, hate speeches and walk chalking had been banned.

It was stated that checking on all the entry and exit routes of tribal areas had been enhanced. Also, data of residents of rented houses, hotels, guest houses and inns was being collected to trace suspected people, if any.

Published in Dawn, August 9th, 2021