GILGIT, March 1: The city's security was tightened and Army Aviation helicopters on Monday started surveillance over Gilgit city during Muharram processions, officials said.

They said the administration had also sought the army's help for securing key spots during these processions, he added. Officials said paramilitary troops had also been summoned to Gilgit for ensuring a foolproof security mechanism, adding heavy contingents of law-enforcement agencies were guarding traditional routes of Muharram processions.

Officials said the administration had finalized arrangements for setting up medical camps, stand-by ambulances and other facilities for processions on Muharram 10.

They said security had been increased in Gilgit as processions would arrive from areas, including Hunza, Nagar, Haramoush, Astore and Bargo as they would join the central procession at the Imamia Mosque in Gilgit on Tuesday.

DRIVER KILLED: One person was killed in a collision between a Suzuki and an army vehicle on Sunday night near Chamugarh village, police said. The deceased was identified as Abdur Rahim.

Three other passengers were critically injured in the accident. They have been shifted to the DHQ hospital Gilgit, police said.

Police Record: The Northern Areas Police department will computerize its record regarding criminals and vehicle registration in all the five districts of the region.

A police official said that a proposal to develop a software in this regard had been sent to the federal government. He said the project was aimed at ensuring transparency in the police record besides accelerating the pace of the investigation process.

He said the department was facing problems regarding networking because of the lack of Internet facility in four of the NAs districts. Internet facility is only available in Gilgit.

"The networking will be finalized once Internet service providers launch their services in these districts. An information portal will be established to share information within the region as well as with the national database departments", the official said.

The official dispelled the impression that the project would render policemen jobless, saying it would create new job opportunities for educated youth in the region.