LAHORE: Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Ghulam Mehmood Dogar has strictly instructed the field formation units to remain vigilant and ensure foolproof security of vulnerable establishments ahead of Eidul Azha and Muharram-ul-Haram as the country, particularly Lahore, could face a fresh wave of terrorism strikes due to rapidly changing situation in Afghanistan after the withdrawal of the US troops.
The CCPO passed this direction while presiding over a high-level security meeting held at the Police Lines Qila Gujjar on Sunday to devise a comprehensive security plan against “anti-peace elements” ahead of Eidul Azha and Muharram-ul-Haram. All DIGs, SSPs, SPs, SDPOs, SHOs and in-charges of investigation and operations wings attended the meeting.
Speaking on the occasion, CCPO Dogar stressed the need for adopting ‘strict security measures’ for forthcoming Eidul Azha and Muharram-ul-Haram to secure citizens as well as mosques, imambargahs, shrines, police stations and other vulnerable establishments due to rapidly changing situation Afghanistan. He warned the participants that the country could experience terrorism activities if adequate safety measures were not ensured on these two holy occasions.
He expressed that the supervisory role of sub-divisional police officers (SDPOs), being in charge of operations and investigation wings, was needed to be redefined and made effective to improve the overall performance of the police at police station and sub-division level. He emphasized that the SDPOs, being focal persons in the campaign against proclaimed offenders (POs) and targeted offenders (TOs), should play their leading role in apprehending such people involved in heinous crimes.
The CCPO further directed to complete profiling and data collection of habitual offenders, including drug dealers and land grabbers, arrested during this year. He also ordered the officers to ensure presence of such people at police stations on “daily basis” and investigate their “money trail” and “daily routines” so as to bring these law breakers in the ambit of law by their proper documentation.
He warned that the SHOs who adopted delaying tactics in registration of FIRs in cases related to property matters or not responding to citizens’ calls on helpline 15 regarding kite flying, aerial firing and other crime incidents will be dealt with iron hands. He said that surety bonds must be taken from citizens assuring that their roofs will not be used for kite flying or aerial firing.
While reviewing security situation of cattle markets, the CCPO directed the concerned SSPs to increase deployment of security personnel to protect citizens from swindlers and pick-pocketing whereas police escort should be provided to cattle dealers for shifting of their huge income amounts to their homes as per request. He further instructed to establish “police help desks” at busy markets and bazaars with the deployment of lady constables and provision of loudspeakers to facilitate citizens to get with their lost children and luggage back.
DIG Operations Sajid Kiani said that no illegal cattle sale points other than the 12 notified by the Punjab government will be allowed to business in the city. He said that in the wake of present border situation of the country, all the patrolling units of the Lahore police, including Dolphin Squad, Police Response Unit (PRU) and Ababeel Force, have been deployed in the field for the protection of sensitive installations and religious and public places.
He added that strict checking of vehicles and persons at entry and exit points of the city is being ensured along with holding of ‘mobile checking pickets’ on different roads and important junction points. The CCPO further directed the concerned police officers to make sufficient security arrangements for the election campaign of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and polling stations in the city as well.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021