Following the demise of Shia religious scholar, Agha Ziauddin in Rawalpindi, the Islamabad district administration has ordered the ICT police to step up security in the Capital to avert expected chaos by enraged protesters. In this connection, a high-level meeting was held here on Thursday under the leadership of Islamabad Chief Commissioner Junaid Iqbal Chaudhry to review overall law and order situation and chalked out security arrangements in the wake of Shia leader's death.
Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Tariq Mehmood Pirzada acting SSP and Ulema belonging to all religious sects also attended the meeting.
The religious leaders assured the meeting that they would observe full harmony and display fraternity to create peace and calm in Islamabad. They informed the meeting that Ulema would highlight the importance of sectarian harmony and unity in their Friday sermons.
The chief commissioner has also directed the assistant commissioners and area magistrates to reactivate mosque and peace committees in Islamabad.
Several worship places, shopping centres and public places in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) have been declared most sensitive and the administration has issued a code of conduct for mosques and Imambargahs.
The chief commissioner also directed the ICT police to mobilise mosque committees to ensure peace and tranquillity to avoid any mishap.
The police have been directed to further beef up security in and around mosques, Imambargahs and churches.
Acting Islamabad SSP Sultan Azam Taimuri informed the meeting that security around the religious and sensitive places has been further tightened in view of possible protests by the Shia activists.
It was also decided that personnel of secret agencies and special branch in plain clothes would also co-ordinate with the Islamabad police to provide maximum security cover to the metropolitan and keep strict vigil over the movement of suspected elements.
Security around the diplomatic enclave, embassies, Parliament House, Presidency and other sensitive official installations, besides slum dwellings in various sectors and I-10, also came under discussion during the meeting, the SSP said.
The ICT administration also sought assistance from Ulema and religious leaders in this regard.
The chief commissioner directed all the SDPOs and SHOs to hold meetings with the Ulema in their respective areas to maintain law and order, besides enhancing patrolling in all the sectors to prevent possible terrorist acts.
Agha Ziauddin succumbed to injuries in CMH, Rawalpindi on Thursday morning, which started a frenzy wave among his devotees and Shia community. Assailants in an attack on January 8 critically wounded him.
Curfew has also been imposed in Gilgit as violence erupted in the area following the demise of religious scholar Agha Ziauddin.
On Thursday, enraged Shia activists burnt tyres in front of the Islamabad Press Club camp office and staged protest demonstration against the killing of their leader and demanded immediate arrest of the culprits.