Punjab Home Department has issued directives to the DCOs and police officers to chalk out effective measures to ensure maintenance of law and order during Muharram-ul-Haram across the province. It has directed to ensure enforcement of the government's ban on carrying and displaying of weapons.
Further, the Home Department has ordered that all DPOs and SPOs should remain in close liaison with their area notables, Ulemas and organisers of Majalis and processions so that security measures at places of majalis, procession routes and the route of main Muharram procession are made effective.
The Department in its directives has asked RPOs, CCPOs, DIGs to personally supervise the performance of all religious rituals in a peaceful atmosphere till the end. It called for appropriate measures to check sectarian mischief under a well-planned strategy and ensure enforcement of the government's restrictions on the entry of Ulemas and Zakreen.
Punjab Home Department further said that special arrangements for traffic flow, water, electricity and cleanliness should be made on the occasion of processions and majalis and the officials should maintain a liaison with the District and Town Nazims.
It said that new list of Ulema and Zakreen should be prepared along with their contact numbers in view of mutual co-operation with the government and for their security at the District and Town levels.
Furthermore, 'Parking of vehicles on the routes of main and other processions should be prohibited and steps must be taken to immediately remove the vehicles, which may go out of order by chance, while no vehicle would be allowed to move with or without permission,' the Department ordered.
Additionally, steps should be taken to keep parking lots at proper distances around the places of majalis, imambargahs and procession routes, it added.