Chief Secretary ZahidAkhtarZaman said on Friday that strict security arrangements were in place to ensure public safety during Muharram-ul-Haram,especially on Ashura Day across the province. The Chief Secretary said this while inspecting the main Ashura procession route in Rawalpindi. The CS reviewed security arrangements for gatherings and processions by visiting Imambargah Colonel MaqboolHussain and ImambargahQadeemi along with Inspector General (IG) Police Dr Usman Anwar, Provincial Health Minister Dr Jamal Nasir, Additional Chief Secretary Shakeel Ahmed, and members of district peace committee.
Zahid said that all possible steps had been taken to maintain law and order during Muharram while provincial ministers,district administrations, and police officials were present in the field and would remain present to maintain a peaceful atmosphere of religious harmony and cooperation. He expressed satisfaction over the cleanliness arrangements of the Ashura Day procession route and directed the administration to ensure the clearance of routes in case of rain. Zahid also appreciated the role of peace committees and Ulema in maintaining religious harmony and said ‘sectarian unity is the need of the hour’. The Chief Secretary and IG also reviewed the monitoring of processions at the control room established at the Municipal Corporation office. On the occasion, the IG policesaid that intelligence-based operations were being conducted to ensure foolproof security during Muharram. He said that as many as 6,000 security personnel in Rawalpindi and more than 100,000 personnel in the province would provide security cover to processions and majlis in the province. Meanwhile, Adviser to Caretaker Chief Minister Punjab on Law and Parliamentary Affairs KunwarDilshad also visited the routes of Ashur processions. He visited Imambargah Colonel MaqboolHussain, QademiImambargah, Madrasah DarulUloom Raja Bazar, and FawaraChowk and reviewed the security arrangements, sanitation, and other administrative matters. The Advisor said that, on the instructions of CM Punjab MohsinNaqvi, all government resources were being utilized for the promotion of a peaceful atmosphere in Punjab. He said that peace committees had been mobilized at the police station level, while administrative officials were personally visiting sensitive places to maintain law and order.
