Daily Times

LAHORE: People across the city offered Friday (Jumma) prayers under tightened security arrangements, as the city police remained on high alert and beefed up security arrangements to avoid any untoward incident, especially during the prayer timings, in the provincial metropolis.

Security officials also claimed to have arrested several suspects and hardened criminals during a search operation late Thursday night across the city.

Police sources said that security arrangements had been beefed up outside all city mosques, especially Data Darbar and Badshahi Mosque, and other religious places, shrines, markets, government and important buildings.

Police high-ups also deputed specially trained snipers on the rooftops of buildings located adjacent to all important mosques, markets, bazaars and other public places across the city. The administration of Data Darbar also suspended 120 VIP vehicle passes due to security reasons.

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. He said that 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.

He added that security coordination committees comprising local religious scholars and notable citizens were also being set up at the circle and police station levels so that they could contribute towards security at mosques, shrines, Imambargahs and other places in their respective areas.

Talking to Daily Times, station house officers (SHOs) posted at different police stations said that security had already been beefed up in their areas. They said that all administrations of mosques and other sacred places had been directed to install walkthrough gates, metal detectors and CCTV cameras, besides ensuring presence of four to five private security guards.

Moreover, they said the administrations had also been directed to display signboards inscribed with precautionary measures for visitors.

Sources disclosed that a massive search operation in the city was underway in collaboration with secret agencies of the country, and the police were closing in on terrorists involved in heinous crimes.

Sources added that the police had raided different Afghan and Pakhtun areas in the city, besides guesthouses, hotels near Lorri Adda, Lahore Railways Station, Bund Road and other parts of the city, and arrested a number of suspects. They said that most of the arrested suspects were Pushto-speaking.

Capital City Police Officer Amin Wains had earlier ordered the police to put in place a comprehensive strategy for ensuring security of people coming to mosques and shrines for offering Friday prayers. He had also ordered the police officials to ensure snap checking and frisking of all those entering the mosques and shrines. He further ordered divisional SPs to personally review the duty of all police personnel deputed at all important mosques, shrines and Imambargahs, along with ensuring continuous patrolling of officials in their respective areas.