- A total of 4,418 processions will be taken out, 6,667 Majalis will be held across the province
- Flag marches, search, sweep, and combing operations continue across the province to create a sense of security: Police Spokesperson
- 20 cases registered for sharing hate content on social media and 22 lawbreakers held during the past 24 hours: Spokesperson
LAHORE: A comprehensive security plan has been finalized to ensure the peaceful conduct of mourning processions and Majalis on 9th and 10th of Muharramul Haram and more than 147,000 officers and personnel of Punjab Police will perform security duties across the province.
Sharing details of the security plan, a Punjab Police spokesperson stated, “On Ashura, a total of 4,418 mourning processions will be taken out across the province and 6,667 Majalis will be held. In the provincial capital, 125 mourning processions will be taken out and 605 Majalis will be held.”
“More than 62,000 community volunteers will assist the 147,000 police personnel in security arrangements for Majalis and mourning processions on Ashura,” he added.
The Punjab Police spokesperson informed that in Lahore, more than 10,000 police officers and personnel have been deployed for the security of mourning processions and Majalis.
While providing details about the security arrangements for 8th Muharram, he said that more than 58,000 officers and personnel performed security duties for mourning processions and Majalis across the province, including Lahore. On the 8th of Muharramul Haram, more than 3,600 police officers and personnel were deployed for security in the provincial capital. Across the province, 1,365 mourning processions and 3,940 Majalis were held. In Lahore, on the occasion of 8th Muharram, 86 mourning processions were taken out and 416 Majalis were held. Across the province, more than 27,000 community volunteers assisted in the security arrangements for Majalis and mourning processions.
On the other hand, Punjab IG Police Dr Usman Anwar expressed the hope that peaceful conduct of Ashura event will be ensured with the cooperation of religious scholars, community leaders, security agencies, and other institutions.
“The security remains on high alert throughout the province, and implementation of Section 144 imposed by the Government of Punjab is being ensured while aerial firing, display of weapons, promotion of hateful content, and incitement are strictly being monitored,” the IG police stated.
He said that all activities are being closely monitored through cameras of Safe Cities Authority and district administration, adding that CTD, Special Branch, Traffic Police, Dolphin Squad, and PERU along with other field formations have been deployed for Muharram security duty.
Dr. Anwar directed officers to ensure strict implementation of the Loudspeaker Act and a carry out a vigorous crackdown on those promoting hateful content on social media must be ensured. The IGP said that control rooms established in all districts are connected with the Central Police Office control room and remain in constant contact. RPOs, CPOs, and DPOs should themselves go into the field and monitor the security arrangements for Youm-e-Ashura. Dr Usman Anwar said that people of all schools of thought should promote religious harmony, tolerance, and forbearance.
Punjab Police spokesperson said that actions by Punjab Police against those promoting objectionable content on social media are also ongoing, under which, in the last 24 hours, 35 incidents of uploading objectionable and hateful content on social media platforms were reported, and 20 cases were registered for sharing objectionable content, resulting in the arrest of 22 lawbreakers. 22 incidents were reported on Facebook, 5 on WhatsApp, and 8 on other social media platforms. It should be noted that in the past 5 days, 103 cases have been registered and 119 individuals have been arrested for sharing objectionable content on social media. IG Punjab said that individuals involved in religious hatred, incitement, and sectarianism on social media do not deserve any leniency.
Earlier, on the instructions of the Punjab IGP, Punjab Police conducted flag marches across the province, including Lahore, in the context of Ashura Muharram. District police, Dolphin Squad, Police Response Unit, the Elite Force, and traffic police mobile vehicles and personnel participated in the flag marches. Dr. Usman Anwar said that the purpose of flag marches, search, sweep, and combing operations is to create a sense of security among the citizens.
