ISLAMABAD: The law enforcement agencies on Friday made stringent security arrangements in the city for the Chehlum of Hazrat Imam Hussain (AS) to avert any untoward incident.

Over 20,000 personnel were deployed at venue of main procession and a significant number across the city. The participants entering Markazi Imambargah were checked and body-searched at three different stages by police and the scouts.

The city police adopted three-tier security plan. All the roads and streets leading to Sector G-6 were sealed to ensure security and special squad of the bomb disposal unit and fire brigade were deputed at the venue.

The main procession was taken out from Markazi Imambargah located in Sector G-6/2 and culminated at main Imambargah in the evening after passing through its traditional route. A large number of mourners including men, women and children participated in the procession.

All the processions were continuing peacefully till the filing of this report and no untoward incident was reported either during the gatherings (Majalis) or the mourning processions.

According to the security plan, no one was allowed to stand on the rooftop of commercial and residential buildings situated along the routes of mourning processions.

All zonal Superintendents of Police (SPs), Sub-Divisional Police Officers (SDPOs), Station House Officer (SHOs), and other police officials conducted visits of the routes of procession for ensuring strict security and effective coordination among the security personnel performing duty.

The police also conducted special checking of the routes before the start of the procession, and conducted checking of mourners via metal detectors and walk-through gates installed at the entry points.

The city police monitored the processions through safe city cameras, smart cars, surveillance and drone cameras. Policemen have been deployed at rooftops of buildings while snipers also took positions at various buildings.

The district administration put on high-alert all the hospitals including Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Polyclinic and Capital Hospital in the city. Ambulances and fire fighting vehicles were also deployed on the main route. Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP) also chalked out traffic plan to facilitate the citizens and road users.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022