Punjab Police changes security plan after Rawalpindi terror attack

Lahore: Following the terror attack in Rawalpindi, the security plan has been reorganized for the Punjab province as at least 36 special teams comprising senior police officers are dispatched to all districts of the province. These police teams would remain on security duties in their respective districts till 11th of Muharram. The special teams would also remain in close contact with Inspector General of Police (IGP) Punjab Muhammad Habib-ur-Rehman, Additional-IG Malik Khuda Bakhsh Awan and DIG (Operations) Punjab Sohail Ahmed Khan.

The decision to this effect was taken during a high-level meeting held at the Central Police Office Lahore today. Inspector General of Police (IGP) Punjab Muhammad Habib-ur-Rehman presided over the meeting while Additional-IG Punjab Malik Khuda Bakhsh Awan, Additional-IG (Traffic) Kalb-e-Abbas, Additional-IG (Finance and Welfare) Sarmad Saeed, Additional-IG (Investigations) Naseem-ul-Zaman Siddiqi, Additional-IG patrolling Khan Baig, Additional-IG (Training) Mubarak Ali Athar, DIG Headquarters (Punjab) Muhammad Aamlesh, and DIG (Operations) Punjab Sohail Ahmed Khan were also present on this occasion besides others.

According to details, the 36 special teams including Additional-IG (Traffic) Kalb-e-Abbas, DIG (Tele) Dr Arif Mushtaq Chaudhry, and Principal Police Training College Chuhng, SSP Suleman Sultan Rana would remain on duty in Lahore, Additional-IG (Training) Mubarak Ali Athar in Multan, Additional-IG (Investigations) Naseem-ul-Zaman Siddiqi and Commandant Police College Sihala Ghulam Rasool Zahid in Rawalpindi, Additional-IG (Finance and Welfare) Sarmad Saeed in Okara, Additional-IG patrolling (PHP) Khan Baig in Sheikhupura, Commandant Punjab Constabulary Ahmed Raza Tahir in Bahawalpur, DIG Traffic Punjab Rana Muhammad Iqbal in DG Khan, DIG Training Punjab Syed Muhammad Abid Qadri in Gujranwala, DIG (Establishment) Punjab Tariq Masood Yasin in Attock, DIG (CTD) Punjab Javed Islam in Sahiwal, DIG Investigations Branch (Punjab) Abu Bakar Khuda Bukhsh in Bhakkar, Deputy Commandant Punjab Constabulary Syed Dilawar Abbas and SSP Traffic (Headquarters) Punjab Fayyaz Ahmed Dev in Sargodha, SSP (Headquarters) Elite Police Force Zaeem Iqbal Sheikh in Jehlum, SSP Battalion (Commander-I) Punjab Constabulary Usama Mumtaz Raja in Toba Tek Singh, Deputy Commandant Police College Sihala Muhammad Wisal Fakhar Sultan in Sialkot, SSP (Investigations Branch) Punjab Imtaiz Ahmed Malik in Narowal, SSP (CID) Punjab Abdul Saeed Naveed in Hafizabad, SSP Police College Sihala Sabir Ahmed in Chakwal, SSP (Investigations Branch) Punjab Zahid Hussain Sherazi in Mianwali, AIG (Discipline) Abdul Qadir Qayyum in Gujrat, AIG (Inspection) Khalida Khurshid in Lodhran, AIG (Training) Maqsood-ul-Hassan in Khanewal, AIG (Logistic) Raja Riffat Mukhtar in Pakpattan, AIG (Career Planning) Khurram Shakoor in Nankana, AIG (Development) Muhammad Ahmed Kamal in Kasur, Deputy Director Elite Police Force Punjab Kamran Adil in Mandi Bahauddin, SP Legal PTS Chuhng Sardar Karamat Ali in Bahawalnagar, SP (PC) Multan Muhammad Bakir in Rajanpur, SP (Battalion Commander-IV Faisalabad) in Muzaffargarh, SP (Battalion-VII) Munir Ahmed Zia Rao in Layyah, SSP Headquarters (PHP) Zulifqar Hameed in Faisalabad, SSP (PHP) Lahore Hashmat Kamal in Jhang, SSP (Investigations Branch) Punjab Muhammad Waqar Abbasi in Chiniot, SP (Battalion Commander-V) Punjab Constabulary Syed Jaffar Abbas in Vehari, SP Chaudhry Shafiq Gujjar in Rahim Yar Khan and SP (PC) Rawalpindi Abid Abbas Shah will supervise Muharram security in Khushab district.

The provincial police chief said that all the police officers/ officials from the rank of IGP to Constable would remain guard or stand-by to ensure foolproof security during the holy month. Proper monitoring of hotels, inns, and rest-houses will also be ensured to keep a check on the stay of the militants at these places. The meeting also finalized the security arrangements for the Muharram processions and routes across the province.

Meanwhile, IGP Punjab Muhammad Habib-ur-Rehman visited the routes of main procession in Lahore to review the security arrangements. At Karbala Gamay Shah, Lahore CCPO Muhammad Aslam Tareen and DIG (Operations) Muhammad Tahir Rai briefed the police chief about the security on the routes of the main processions.

Talking to the media, the IGP said that a ban would be imposed on pillion riding during 9 and 10 of Muharram while the police would consult local administration in the districts to get cellular phone service suspended, if needed.

The units of Pakistan Army and Rangers will carry out flag-march in Lahore on tomorrow while aerial monitoring of processions in the most sensitive districts would also be performed. The police and Rangers reserves would also remain on stand-by.

The IGP further said that at least 15,000 policemen will be deployed on the routes of the procession in Lahore since the leaves and transfers all the police officials/officers have been banned for Muharram security.

The IGP also informed that the Punjab police arrested terrorists belonging to two dangerous gangs two days ago from Lahore and Sargodha districts. During preliminary investigations, the arrested terrorists have confessed that they had been planning to carry out terror attacks in Lahore at large-scale. The details of the operation will be shared with the media once the investigation will be completed, the IGP concluded.