Security tightened across Pakistan for Muharram
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Islamabad police have taken strict security measure for Muahramul Haram, one of the four months on the Islamic Lunar Calendar declared sacred in the holy book (Qur'an) as the capital city of Pakistan is the second target of terrorism after Peshawar, the provincial capital of the North West Frontier Province (NWFP).
Amid insecurity and fresh wave of terrorism, officials in Pakistan have finalized strict security measures during Muhramul Harram in Islamabad and other parts of the country.
Talking to Xinhua, Bin Yamin, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Operations, Islamabad Police, said that after Peshawar, Islamabad is the next target of terrorists, adding that therefore security was beefed up inside and around the city as huge processions are expected to be carried out during Muharam.
Bin Yamin said that metal detectives and other equipment have been installed at all points of gatherings for Muharram. He said that entry and exit points for processions were specified.
The DIG said that Quick Response Force, Anti-terrorist Squad and 82 police commandos along with more than 7,000 cops were deployed on various locations of the capital city, adding that in Islamabad certain sensitive areas were identified and its security was tightened.
The senior police official maintained that a suicide attacker failed to hit his target on Thursday night because of the foolproof security in the city.
Meanwhile, various locations in Islamabad were barricaded and barbed wire was around sensitive points and offices. Besides deployment of additional policemen, Senior Superintendent Police ( SSP) Islamabad Tahir Alam Khan would supervise all the security arrangements during the processions and Majalis (gathering) and in this regard a control room has also been set up in his office.
Sources inside the religious circles said that 149 processions would be brought out during Muharram and 773 Majalis would be held during the holy month in the twin cities, Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
Security in the volatile city, Peshawar, was beefed up as well. In a telephonic conversation with Xinhua, Sahibzada Anees, Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Peshawar said that in the history of Pakistan the days of Muharramul Haram were noted as sensitive because of violence.
"So security in Muharram always remains on top of the government's agenda," he stated.
Anees said that the provincial officials were aware that Peshawar was the major victim in the recent wave of suicide attacks,so, special steps were taken to minimize threat of violence in the city, which is also lying adjacent to the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), the cradle of militancy in Pakistan.
Commenting on the security plan for Peshawar, he said that from security point of view, the city was divided into three areas that is the city itself, its outskirts and the bordering areas adjacent to the Pakistani tribal areas.
He declined to give detailed plan of his security, however, clarified that CCTVs were installed and fire brigades, hospitals, security agencies and other related institutions were put on high alert.
Police would guard Imambargahs, place of worship of the Shia sect, and the routes of processions. NWFP government has already banned entry of 200 Ulema to Peshawar during Muharram, because of security situation and their religious affiliation.
The NWFP police have clarified that personnel of the Pakistan army would remain standby in aid of the frontier police and their services would be utilized in case of any untoward happening during Muharram.
Reports suggest that more than 3,000 policemen were deployed inside the city to keep the law and order intact in the city.
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