SUKKUR: Law enforcement agencies personnel detained eight suspects in raids on hotels, restaurants, guest houses and other places in different parts of the city as part of a security plan to maintain peace during Muharram processions, congregations and other events.

Rangers and police personnel checked the records of outsiders staying and visiting the places and asked the hosts for details about the guests.

Several hundred police and Rangers men deployed at sensitive points in the city and along the routes of the processions kept a strict watch on movement of unconcerned people.

Without disclosing the identity of the eight detained persons, the police said they were interrogated about purpose of their visit to the city.

Several processions were taken out in the city on Tuesday evening and Wednesday amid stringent security measures.

About a dozen motorcycles and three four-wheelers were detained during snap checking.

All vehicles are being checked at the entry/exit points of the city to check movement of subversive elements.

IHS centres to remain open

All 111 health centres of the Integrated Health Services — a public-private partnership entity that has undertaken to provide quality health services to people across Sindh -- will remain open on Ashura holidays. This was announced Syed Israr Ali Shah, the head of IHS regional management unit while speaking at a press conference in Hyderabad on Wednesday, APP adds.

He said arrangements had been made to ensure availability of doctors, paramedical staff, ambulances and essentially needed medicines as well as laboratory test facility at the centres.

Mr Shah told reporters that some anti-social elements had forcibly occupied IHS centres in Chamber, Bulri Shah Karim, Arazi, Tando Ghulam Ali and Jhangara. He urged the government to take notice of their highhandedness. He said action be taken against the illegal occupants and safety and security of the IHS staff be ensured.

Published in Dawn, September 20th, 2018