LAHORE : Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif presided over a high level meeting to review security arrangements for Muharram at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat here on Thursday. A number of important decisions regarding promotion of religious harmony, brotherhood and maintenance of law and order during Muharram were taken in the meeting.
A cabinet committee headed by Senior Adviser Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khan Khosa has also been constituted to ensure implementation of the security plan and it will visit all divisional headquarters for this purpose. The chief minister said that police should be provided all the necessary equipments and besides provision of generators, Federal Water and Power Minister will also be contacted to ensure smooth supply of electricity. He said that all wall-chalking should be removed within 48 hours and in future both DCO and DPO would be responsible for wall-chalking. He said that there should be zero tolerance to the use of loudspeaker, wall-chalking and provocative literature and speeches.He said that peace committees would be mobilised in the province and Home Secretary and Police Inspector General will attend the meetings of these committees. Shahbaz further said that maintaining law and order during Muharram was no less than a challenge and all-out efforts will be made to ensure peace and more steps will be taken than the previous year for maintaining religious harmony and tranquility. He said that law-enforcement agencies would have to remain vigilant to foil the nefarious designs of insurgent and anti-state elements. He said that Ulema had always made praiseworthy efforts for maintaining peace during Muharram and this year too they should play their effective role in promoting peace, religious harmony and brotherhood among masses.
The cabinet committee will comprise of Senior Minister Raja Riaz Ahmad, Provincial Law Minister Rana Sanaullah, Member National Assembly Bilal Yaseen, Members Provincial Assembly Khawaja Salman Rafique, Khawaja Imran Nazir, Senator Pervez Rashid, Advisor Jahanzeb Barki, Home Secretary, Police Inspector General and Secretary Implementation and Coordination.The committee could add more members if need be. He said that ban on the use of loudspeaker should strictly be implemented and stern action would be taken against those responsible for wall-chalking, spreading hateful material and making provocative speeches and no laxity will be tolerated in this regard. He said that food should be arranged for policemen performing duties during Muharram and they should be assigned duties in shifts. He said that police have prepared a comprehensive plan regarding security arrangements and it should be implemented in letter and spirit. He termed the briefing given by Additional IG Nasir Khan Durrani and said that it entailed all aspects of security and law and order
