LAHORE: The Punjab police have decided to deploy more than 55,000 police officers, including volunteers, in field for providing foolproof security to the processions and ‘Milad’ ceremonies on the eve of upcoming Eid Miladun Nabi celebrations.

Presided over by Punjab IGP Rao Sardar Ali Khan, the decision was taken during a high-level security conference with all the RPOs, DPOs and CPOs at the Central Police Office (CPO) on Thursday. Speaking to the participants, the IG directed the senior command that they will to go to field and personally monitor security arrangements of big processions and religious gatherings.

He said that CCTV cameras, metal detectors and walkthrough gates must be used for security of sensitive processions.

Lahore Deputy Inspector General of Police (Operations) Sajid Kayani told the meeting that as many as 1,656 Milad ceremonies and 2,039 processions will be taken out across the province and over 55,000 cops, including 551 Gazetted Officers, 865 inspectors, 2,652 sub-inspectors, 4,391 ASIs, 5,520 head constables and 36,197 constables and volunteers will be deployed in field for security purposes.

The IGP warned that concerned SHOs and supervisory officers will be directly held responsible if stern actions were not ensured against drug dealers around schools, colleges and universities. He directed the field officers to take preemptive measures for resolving old enmities and prevent killings.

“In case of negligence, the field officers must be prepared for facing strict departmental accountability,” he warned and said made it clear that if a police officer was martyred or injured due to wrong planning during a police raid, the concerned SHOs and supervisory officers and “raid commanders” will have to face stern departmental action.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021