Daily Times

RAWALPINDI: Recalling the disaster suffered by the local traders of Madina Market and Al Umer Plaza in 2013 (Ashura Day) in Raja Bazar, the President Markazi Anjuman Tajran, Sheikh Siddique urged the interior ministries of the federal and the provincial governments and the heads of the law enforcing agencies to take stringent security measures for ensuring peace and security in the city from 1 to 10 Muharram.

Sheikh Siddique said that the city administration must take extraordinary measures by intensifying snap checking and patrolling, effective monitoring of the city’s entry and exit points, deployment of additional police force and Rangers, installation and repair of CCTV cameras and other security steps so that all processions and other religious activities concluded peacefully.

“We cannot afford any further loss of life and property, it takes years to recover and restore the business which was put on fire by an angry mob on November 15, 2015,” he said.

Siddique called for taking the business community into confidence regarding the security plan devised for various routes of Muharram processions so that shopkeepers/traders could adhere to the security plan and schedule their business activities accordingly.

When contacted, the City Police Officer, Israr Ahmed Abassi, assured that foolproof security arrangements were being made to provide security to the mourners as well as the traders.

The District Police Officer (DPO), Dr Abid Khan, on Monday said that a comprehensive and foolproof security plan had been chalked out with the cooperation of the district administration to avoid any untoward incident during Muharram.

He said this while addressing a meeting of the ulema (religious scholars) from all schools of thought, at the DPO’s office.

He said that over 3,000 police personnel including the SDPO and the SHO would also be deputed at all Imambarghas and other sensitive areas including the routes of the Muharram processions.

He said that there were 1,257 majalis and 334 processions would be held in Muharram. There will be a complete ban on the display of arms, loud-speakers, wall chalking and publication of any instigation material.

He said that sectarian harmony was vital for peace and it was the foremost duty of the religious personalities to come forward and play their role in this regard.

Court exempts seven accused from attendance in PTV attack case: An Anti Terrorism Court (ATC) on Monday granted exemption from attendance to seven accused persons allegedly involved in the attack on Pakistan Television and the Parliament House.

The ATC judge heard the plea filed by the seven activists of Majlis Wahdatul Muslimeen, seeking exemption from attendance, in the above mentioned case. The counsel for the accused, Asif Mumtaz, requested the court to recall the arrest warrants of his clients and exempt them from attendance in the court.

After hearing the arguments, the court accepted the plea and exempted the accused from attendance in the case. It may be mentioned here that the Secretariat Police Station had registered a case against the accused for allegedly attacking PTV and the Parliament building during a protest. app

Rawalpindi to have a separate jail: A decision has been taken to construct a separate jail for Rawalpindi district due to the growing number of prisoners at the Central Jail Adiala Rawalpindi and the day to day increasing security and other problems.

Adiala Jail has the capacity to accommodate 2170 prisoners while over 4700 prisoners are being kept in this jail at present.

Sources said that the Superintendent Adiala Jail, Saeed Gondal, has asked the district management Rawalpindi to identify a suitable venue and land for building a new jail.