Daily Times

LAHORE: Lahore Police has put in place a security plan for the opposition political parties’ protest at Charing Cross on Wednesday.

Police have chalked out a three-layered security and traffic plan for the opposition protest. More than 5,000 policemen will perform security and traffic duties. City Traffic Police will divert the traffic from The Mall to main roads of the city. Five entry points will be established for public who will enter the venue after complete checking. However, one entry point will be reserved for women.

The security arrangements were reviewed by CCPO Captain (r) Amin Wains during meeting on Tuesday. The meeting was attended by Operations DIG Dr Haider Ashraf, CTO SSP Rai Ijaz and other senior officers.

Separately, all government and major private hospitals in the provincial metropolis will remain on high alert on Wednesday to deal with any emergency.

While talking to Daily Times, all government teaching hospitals administration said that special arrangements were being made to provide maximum possible medical, surgical or emergency medical cover to citizens.

All emergency wards of hospitals have been put on high alert. Paramedical staff has been instructed to remain vigilant to ensure treatment of the patients in case of an untoward incident.

Health Department has also issued instructions to ensure presence of doctors and medical staff in all public sector hospitals, autonomous and specialized medical institutions across the city.

Sources said that Health Department officials have been directed to reserve beds and ensure availability of sufficient stock of lifesaving drugs and keep medical instruments, patients’ lifts in perfect working order and standby generators as alternate source of electricity as well as fully functional operation theaters. Moreover, fully equipped ambulances with trained staff should also be made available while keeping stock of blood and blood donors’ list of all groups in hospitals to meet any untoward situation.

Sources said that surgeons, specialists, technicians, nursing staff and other health personnel would also remain on alert and they would not be allowed to leave the station without permission.

The administration of all city hospitals further added that hospitals security have also been beefed up inside the premises as well as around the hospitals especially main entrance and exit points of the hospitals. They said that walkthrough gates had been installed outside the emergencies wards. Security guards will also screen visitors manually and through metal detectors.A senior police officer said that three companies of Rangers would also be kept in reserve to cop up with any untoward incident. The police department has also called for additional forces, in addition to personnel in plainclothes from other intelligence agencies for round the clock patrolling a day before the protest in all surrounding areas of The Mall as well as other important areas.

The personnel deputed at city’s police stations have also been directed to keep a vigilant eye on all crowded places as well as other suspects in their respective jurisdiction.

The senior police officer said that the law enforcement agencies would continue the search and scanning operation in these areas and on the route of the protest with the help of modern scanners, sniffer dogs and through human intelligence a day before the event in order to ensure fool proof security.

Capital City Police Officer Amin Wains said that Lahore Police was taking extraordinary security steps. “Lahore Police has chalked out a comprehensive and well-coordinated security plan on the occasion and no dereliction of duty would be tolerated,” he said.

He said that unprecedented security measures would be in place on exit and entry points of the city. He said that all divisional SPs would conduct continuous patrolling of their concerned areas and check the performance of the deputed police officials.

Operations DIG Dr Haider Ashraf said that five thousands police personnel would be deployed on the protest venue. Aerial vigilance will also be conducted.

The City Traffic Police has deputed more than 1,200 traffic officials on protest venue and its surrounding areas to maintain the traffic flow across the city.

Chief Traffic Officer SSP Rai Ijaz said that SPs, DSPs, inspectors and traffic wardens had been deputed around the protest venue and its surrounding areas to maintain the traffic flow as well as facilitate the commuters. He said the citizens using heavy traffic had already been directed to use alternative route for the day.

Published in Daily Times, January 17^th 2018.