Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: A foolproof security plan has been prepared by the district administration and the police high-ups to avoid any untoward incident on the eve of Eidul Azha in Rawalpindi and Islamabad. The Eid prayer will be offered in 824 different locations in the twin cities.

The District Administration and the police have prepared a comprehensive security plan to protect Eid prayer gatherings in the cities as well as to provide foolproof security to public places on the festival days. The Eid holidays of police personnel have also been cancelled to implement the security plan effectively.

According to details, on the eve of Eidul Azha around 3000 security personnel including Rangers will perform their duties. These security personnel will provide security to 824 Eid prayer sites including 796 mosques, 21 Imam Bargahs and seven Eid Gahs in the twin cities.

As per the security plan, car parking would not be allowed near mosques whereas proper checking would be mandatory on all entry points. A special security plan for the Eid prayer at Faisal Mosque has also been initiated by Islamabad Police. All the open spaces will be quadrant off at Faisal Mosque and only one entry point will be made to access the mosque on Eid Day.

Eidul Azha prayer at Faisal Mosque will be offered at 7:30 am. The Dean, Faculty of Shariah and Law of International Islamic University, Professor Dr Tahir Hakeem, will deliver the sermon on the occasion and lead the Eid prayer. A large number of dignitaries including ambassadors, parliamentarians and ministers are expected to offer their Eid prayer at Faisal Mosque.

Besides the security arrangements for the Eid prayer, the police and the district administration have also prepared a well devised plan to protect all public places on the three days of the Eid which will be holidays. Rescue 1122 will be on high alert on all these three days.

Furthermore, an emergency has already been imposed in all the government hospitals of the twin cities whereas extra deployment of security personnel at the entry and exit points of both the cities has also been made by the law enforcement departments by providing additional support through installing closed circuit cameras.

Meanwhile, all police stations have been directed to continue surveillance around cattle markets to avoid incidents of robbery and terrorism. A source inside the education department also informed that the Eid holidays of teachers in Rawalpindi schools had also been cancelled to prevent the Dengue virus.

A teacher while talking to Daily Times criticised the decision and said: “The decision of the Punjab government to open schools during Eid vacations is ridiculous and unnecessary.”

He further said: “The government of Punjab wants to tease the teaching staff and the motive behind is to force the teachers to leave their jobs.”

The Executive Director Officer Education Rawalpindi, Qazi Zahoorul Haq, however, explained that the decision was being taken to prevent the threat of Dengue virus and the availability of school buildings for anti-dengue teams through this move.

He further informed that the said decision was only for the educational institutions of the main city whereas the institutions situated in the rural areas were exempted. He said, “On Sunday and the first day of Eid there will be no need to open the school buildings, but on the remaining days it is compulsory that the school buildings should be available for the teams.”