LAHORE: At least 12,000 police officials will perform security duties during the upcoming holy month of Ramazan at all religious places, important markets, bazaars and all government and private buildings – that have been declared sensitive – in order to avoid any untoward incident. The decision was made at an emergency meeting on security issue with all law enforcement agencies and members of the district peace committees, which was chaired by DIG Operations Dr Haider Ashraf at the Police Lines, Qilla Gujjar Singh, on Tuesday. Speaking on the occasion, a senior police officer said that holidays and transfer/posting in police department had been totally banned during Ramazan. He said that foolproof security arrangement had been finalised to cover 3,586 mosques and imambargahs in the city, as well as to maintain law and order. He added that snipers would also be deployed on the rooftops of 268 highly sensitive mosques and imambargahs of the city. All divisional superintendents of police (SPs), assistant superintendents of police (ASPs) and deputy superintendents of police (DSPs) from both the operations and investigation wings attended the meeting. According to the spokesperson for the DIG, police high-ups had passed on strict directives to police officials to ensure patrolling in their respective areas and pay surprise visits to all religious places and other important public places within their jurisdiction on a daily basis. He said that upon receiving directions from seniors, all police officials delivered strict orders to all station house officers (SHOs) to ensure the implementation of the security plan as per the National Action Plan at important religious places, markets, bazaars and other public places, such as offices and residences. The SHOs serving in different police stations across the city, requesting anonymity, told Daily Times that they had already meet local influential people to discuss security measures, and had started monitoring mosques and other places of worship, main bazaars and the entry and exist points within their jurisdiction. They said that administrations of all A Category mosques had been directed to switch on lights inside and outside the mosques as well as in the adjoining streets in the evening. They said that in Ramazan, all the administrations of mosques and other places must set up walkthrough gates, install CCTV cameras and ensure presence of four to five private security guards having metal detectors. Moreover, they said the administrations had also been directed to display signboards inscribed with precautionary measures for visitors. DIG Operations Dr Haider Ashraf said that the police would adopt an extraordinary security plan for religious places, markets, bazaars, important government and private building and other places during the holy month. He said that the police had already beefed up security at all religious places and other important places across the city, while thorough patrolling by mobile teams was also being ensured. The DIG said that police had finalised the security plan for Ramazan and more than a thousand mosques had been declared sensitive, and added that the policemen would perform their duties outside the mosques as well as in their surrounding areas. He also said that during Ramazan, all mosque administrations should install walkthrough gates and CCTV cameras. He said that strict vigilance shall be exercised at the entry and exit points for checking suspected persons so that no one would disturb peace in the city.