Daily Times

In a high-level meeting assessing law and order and the security situation of the province during Muharramul Haram, Sindh Chief Secretary Syed Mumtaz Ali Shah on Monday directed the district administration and law enforcement agencies to take strict security measures for implementation of the code of conduct during Muharram to maintain peace and sectarian harmony.

The meeting was attended by the Sindh IG Dr Kaleem Imam, Karachi Commissioner Iftikhar Ahmed Shehlwani, Auqaf and Religions Affairs Secretary Haroon Ahmed, Public Health Engineering secretary, Karachi Additional IG Ghulam Nabi Memon and all deputy commissioners and DIGs and SSPs of Karachi, while other divisional commissioners and DIGs participated in the meeting via video link.

The meeting offered Fateha for the late Khanpur DSP Rao Shafiqullah who was martyred during an operation to recover Sindhi folk singer Jigar Jalal in Shikarpur.

Sindh IG Syed Kaleem Imam and the Karachi commissioner briefed the meeting on security arrangements and administrative measures, respectively. The IG stated that there meeting that there were 2015 Imambargahs in the province, including 342 in Karachi, 590 in Hyderabad, 138 in Mirpur Khas, 107 in Shaheed Benazirabad, 374 in Sukkur and 464 in Larkana divisions. The Sindh government would provide complete security to every Muharram procession by deploying over 71,000 policemen in addition to some 8,000 Rangers across the province.

Commissioner Iftikhar Ahmed Shehlwani stated that he held separate meetings with the authorities of KE and Water Board and had directed them to ensure uninterrupted supply of electricity and water during the month of Muharram. All divisional commissioner and DIGs had also informed the meeting about the arrangements being made for Muharram.

The chief secretary also directed the divisional commissioners to ensure repair/patch work of roads, where necessary, lifting of debris, solid waste and removal of other obstructions from areas which have been designated as routes of procession and majalis. The CS also directed the divisional commissioner and deputy commissioners to establish control rooms by deputing focal persons of all civic agencies including KE, KW&SB, WASA, HESCO, SEPCO, SSWMB and Health Department. The chief secretary also directed the Home Department and commissioners concerned to install extra CCTV cameras on the routes of the processions. The chief secretary also directed the officers concerned to advertise the alternative routes for the awareness of general public.