RAWALPINDI: Police have chalked out a comprehensive security and traffic plan for Youm-i-Ali processions to be held on Ramazan 20 and 21. Over 3,500 police personnel will be deployed.

       More than 100 personnel will also be deployed on the routes of the processions to streamline vehicular traffic. Routes leading to the processions will be closed for all types of traffic and alternative routes will be highlighted.

       Traffic police in collaboration with the district police have set up traffic diversion points in phases and additional personnel have been deployed on alternative routes to keep traffic flow intact so that the public does not face any inconvenience.

       Chief Traffic Officer Naveed Irshad instructed all officers not to allow traffic near the procession and parking will be provided at a distance of 200 yards.

       He said special action was being taken against owners of vehicles that did not carry number plates and those with tinted windows in view of security during the procession to observe the martyrdom of Hazrat Ali.

       A special conference on security, and law and order ahead of Youm-i-Ali was held at the Regional Police Office, Rawalpindi. The conference was presided over by Chief Police Officer Omar Saeed Malik. Participants were instructed to take all possible steps to ensure foolproof security arrangements.

       District Police Officer (DPO) Mohammad Bin Ashraf, DPO Attock Rana Mohammad Shoaib and DPO Jhelum Rana Tahir Rehman Khan addressed the participants of the conference through video link while Senior Superintendent of Police (Operations) Wasim Riaz Khan, CTO Rawalpindi Naveed Irshad, SSP Abdulla Faruq, SSP (Legal) Raja Azmat Hayat and others attended the conference through video link from the regional office.

       A detailed briefing was given to CPO (Rawalpindi) about security arrangements and the overall situation. The CPO said a total of 75 processions and 175 rallies will be held across Rawalpindi region. These processions and rallies have been classified based on their vulnerability.

       In addition to this, about 1,200 volunteers will perform security duties along with the police.

       CPO Malik said everyone entering the procession should be searched and it must be ensured that they enter through walkthrough gates. CCTV cameras must be installed on procession routes.

       A special control room has been set up for timely notification of all information throughout the region which will operate round the clock, the CPO said.

       Published in Dawn, April 21st, 2022