Daily Times

LAHORE: The city police on Friday was on high alert and beefed up its security arrangements to avoid any untoward situation during first Jumma prayers of Ramazan in the provincial metropolis.

Police sources have confirmed that security arrangements were beefed up outside more than 4,500 city mosques, other religious places, markets, government sites and commercial buildings. Police high-ups also deputed especially trained snipers at the rooftops of buildings located adjacent to all mosques, markets, bazaars and other public places in the entire city.

Police sources said that the security parametres have changed after terrorist attacks occurred in different parts of the country especially in the last few days, in which several people were killed and several others were injured. They also added that more than 6,000 police officials performed their security duties at all religious places during Friday prayers as well as for other prayers.

As this Friday was the first Jumma of Ramazan, security around all the mosques and imambargahs had been tightened whereas plain-clothes policemen had been deployed during the afternoon, which was the most sensitive time of the day.

A senior police officer told Daily Times that a high profile meeting of senior police officers was held to chalk out a foolproof security plan to maintain law and order in the city during the holy month.

He said all divisional superintendents of police, assistant superintendents of police and deputy superintendents of police from both the operation and investigation wings attended the meeting.

The police department has also summoned the Elite Police Force, Mujahid Force, Quick Response Force and Dolphin Squad in addition to the personnel in plainclothes from other intelligence agencies for round the clock patrolling in all sensitive areas. The police officials and private security guards were present at all sensitive mosques and other places where they allowed the citizens in after strict checking.

SSP Operations Muntazir Mehndi also visited different mosques of the city to review the arrangements of Jumma Security. He directed to duty officials that the holy month of Ramazan demands from them to perform their duties with great efficiency, honesty, humbleness and full commitment.

He has ordered the police to ensure a comprehensive strategy for maintenance of security for Jumma prayers through snap checking. He further ordered for usage of walk-through gates for security purpose and asked divisional SPs to personally review duty of all police personnel, deputed at all important mosques, darbars and imam bargahs, along with ensuring continuous patrolling of their respective areas in an effective manner.

Published in Daily Times, May 19^th 2018.