PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police on Monday declared Peshawar, Hangu, Kohat and Dera Ismail Khan the most sensitive districts for the upcoming Muharram.

The declaration was made in a police statement, which was issued after a meeting held here at the central police office in connection with Muharram security.

Provincial police chief Salahuddin Khan chaired the meeting, which was attended by additional IGPs headquarters, Special Branch, Operations, CCPO, DIG CTD and all RPOs.

The police chief was briefed about the security plan for Muharram in their respective areas.

Police chief warns DPOs against lapse in security checks

The police chief directed the police high-ups to ensure live electronic monitoring of all Muharram processions and carry out detailed checking for the people’s entry to imambargahs and processions.

He said the police would do their duty as a frontline force and that no loopholes would be allowed in the security arrangements.

Mr Salahuddin asked participants to take effective and foolproof security measures for sectarian harmony during Muharram.

He ordered the live electronic monitoring of all processions and said the procession routes and venues should be cleared by a joint team of all departments concerned.

The police chief said no new route of processions would be allowed and FIRs would be registered instantly against rules violators.

He asked participants to review security arrangements by visiting the spot in uniform and organise snap checking across districts with special emphasis on motorcycles with fake number plates and without number plates.

They were also told to deploy police on hilltops and rooftops in sensitive areas and plugging of all streets leading to imambargahs and processions and carrying out procession routes.

He asked officials to carry out checking at macro level and check each and every thing and make video recording of all mourning processions, strictly discourage provocative speeches and provocative literature.

The participants were directed to brief the personnel in detail about their duties and motivate them to perform its duty in a professional manner and wear full protective gear.

The police chief asked police high-ups to hold meeting with all other relevant civil departments a day earlier of procession and ensure their part of job done for Muharram.

The participants were directed to ban the people from standing on rooftops of the houses on processions routes and check particulars of all tenants living on the procession route and in close proximity of procession routes and imambargahs.

The police chief also directed officials to remain in constant contact with other security and intelligence agencies.

Mr Salahuddin said he would visit all sensitive districts to review Muharram security measures and take detailed briefing from the relevant DPOs about security arrangements.

He said security arrangements adopted for Muharram would be checked through Special Branch and in case of any lapse, the relevant DPOs would be held responsible for it.

Published in Dawn, September 12th, 2017