Daily Times

RAWALPINDI: Over 875 mosques, 50 Imambarghas and 63 prayer grounds will be provided security cover by armed police personnel as the district police have finalised security arrangements for Eidul Fitr.

Police holidays have also been cancelled to augment security in the city while additional forces have been deployed in sensitive areas, along busy roads, markets, shopping centres, graveyards, mosques, Eidgahs, Imambargahs and picnic points as part of a special security plan for Eid.

“The plan will include deployment of 3,000 police jawans and commandoes as well as security checkpoints at the entrances and exits of the city,” a police spokesman said on Tuesday.

He said the police’s prime responsibility was to protect the lives and property of the public. He said as many as 3,000 police officers and jawans had been deployed in all the sensitive places including bazaars and shopping malls to maintain law and order situation on Chand Raat.

Besides the force, officials of the Special Branch, the Elite Force Commandoes, Ladies Police, Muhafiz Force and Police Qaumi Razakars wll perform security duties.

The security plan will continue throughout the days of Eidul Fitr under the supervision of the City Police Officer (CPO), the spokesman said, urging the citizens to cooperate with the security forces by informing them about any suspicious situation.

City Police Officer Israr Ahmed Khan Abbasi has ordered foolproof security for Eidul Fitr prayer congregations and all-out efforts would be made to avoid any untoward incident, the spokesman said.

The main mosques of the city, he said, would be especially covered by armed police personnel and only one entry gate would be opened for the faithful. Security personnel would use metal detectors and no one would be allowed to go inside the mosques without a body search.

There would be no permission to park vehicles, motorcycles, cycles and handcarts near mosques and Imambargahs, he added.

According to the police spokesman, thebest security arrangements with available resources would be made to ensure security of the religious places and mosques.

He said arrangements had also been finalised for Murree where 1000 cops would perform security duty during Eidul Fitr holidays.