Punjab on high alert as police tighten security, accelerate deportation drive

• Top cop chairs meeting directs enhanced security at mosques, markets, key installations across province

• Directs special focus on protection of Chinese experts, foreign missions and residents

• Search, sweep operations intensified against Fitnah al-Khawarij, Fitnah al-Hindustan with deployment of Safe City cameras, Section 144, drones for round-the-clock monitoring

 LAHORE: Security has been placed on high alert across Punjab, including Lahore and Rawalpindi, with special focus on mosques and other places of worship, markets, commercial centres, key installations, and Chinese as well as other foreign embassies, in view of the prevailing situation along the western border.

Police have been directed to enhance surveillance of terrorists, miscreants and suspicious individuals to safeguard the country’s internal borders, while intensifying search and sweep operations against elements of Fitnah al-Khawarij and Fitnah al-Hindustan.

Punjab Inspector General of Police Abdul Kareem chaired a video-link meeting at the Central Police Office to review province-wide security arrangements in light of the western and internal border situation and the second Friday of the holy month of Ramadan.

The IG Police directed RPOs, CPOs and DPOs to personally assess security at mosques, places of worship and key installations, and to further strengthen security at inter-provincial police check posts, police stations, offices and other law enforcement buildings. He stressed that the safety of Chinese experts, foreign residents’ accommodations, workplaces and movement must be ensured. He also ordered that a comprehensive security plan be formulated in consultation with police officers, the Special Branch, Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and other security agencies.

The IGP ordered acceleration of the deportation drive against all illegal foreign nationals, including Afghans and other migrants, and directed that intelligence-based search, sweep and combing operations be extended to inter-provincial border areas. He further ordered round-the-clock monitoring of markets, commercial centres and sensitive locations through Safe City Authority cameras, along with strict enforcement of Section 144, supported by the government’s use of drones.

Emphasising that every officer of Punjab Police stood shoulder to shoulder with the armed forces and security agencies, the IG said security, law and order and relief activities would be ensured under all circumstances. He appealed to citizens to refrain from paying attention to fabricated rumours and unverified messages circulating on social media.

The meeting was attended via video link by the CCPO Lahore, Additional IG South Punjab, Additional IG CTD, Additional IG Special Branch, and all RPOs, CPOs and DPOs, while Additional IG PHP Faisal Ali Raja, DIG IT Mansoorul Haq, AIG Operations, AIG Development and AIG Admin were present at the Central Police Office.

Punjab Police accelerate deportation of illegal foreign residents

Meanwhile, Punjab Police have intensified the deportation of illegal foreign nationals across the province, ensuring that the process is being carried out in full compliance with international laws, according to a Punjab Police statement.

“In this regard, a total of 32,588 illegal foreign nationals, including Afghans, have been deported so far, while currently 90 illegal residents remain at various holding points,” a Punjab Police spokesperson said.

Sharing details of the deportation campaign, he said the deported individuals included 12,273 men, 6,661 women and 13,654 children. Among them, 10,419 had proof of residence, 11,098 were holders of Afghan Citizen Cards, while 11,071 were other illegal foreign residents.

IG Police Abdul Kareem said the entire province remained under high security alert and that deportation of all illegal residents was being ensured under all circumstances. He added that Punjab Police was implementing the deportation policy strictly in accordance with international laws and that the entire process was being carried out with full respect for human rights.