Malik reviews security arrangements for Muharrum

       
ISLAMABAD, Dec 6 (APP): Interior Minister A. Rehman Malik on Monday chaired a high-level meeting to review security arrangements made for the holy month of Muharrum-ul-Haram. The meeting was attended by the Secretary Interior, all the Provincial Home Secretaries, Inspector Generals of Police, Director Generals of Punjab and Sindh Rangers, Inspector Generals of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan FCs, Chief Commissioner and Inspector General of Islamabad Police besides representatives of intelligence agencies.
The minister was briefed by Home Secretaries and IGPs on security arrangements made in their respective provinces to ensure peaceful observance of the holy month.
The meeting decided to identify sensitive areas where mourning procession would be taken out, while no sectarian leader or any other person would be allowed to make speech fanning sectarianism.
All the Home Secretaries and the IGPs have been directed to hold meetings with local religious leaders and issue joint declarations for promoting sectarian harmony.
The meeting also decided that high powered committees comprising notable Shia and Sunnis, political and religious leaders would be formed in all the provinces.
Snipers and sharp shooters would be deployed in the tension ridden areas, while aerial vigilance would continue from 1st to 10th of Muharrum.
The meeting also agreed to impose curfew in the most “tense areas” to ensure peace and tranquility for avoiding any untoward incident. Whereas, Army would be kept on stand-by to tackle any untoward incident, if takes place.
An Operation Room of National Crisis Management Cell would coordinate with the provinces and share real time intelligence with the provinces and it would operate round-the-clock during Muharrum.
The meeting also decided that the police patrolling would be enhanced in all the provinces, Islamabad Capital Territory, Gilgit Baltistan and AJK.
It suggested that inter-provincial movement of “firebrand religious speakers” should be discouraged and they would not be allowed to deliver speeches.
It directed all the station house officers to ensure plugging of all security loopholes well in time as they would be held responsible, if any mishap takes place.
The meeting also appealed all the religious leaders to avoid passing of any remarks, which may hurt the feelings of others, saying “Let us respect each others’ Aqeedas (beliefs) for the sake of Islam and Pakistan.”