RAWALPINDI: Around 6,000 police personnel, including the Elite Force, have been deployed to ensure foolproof security for the cricket Test match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka beingplayed at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
As many as 1,000 additional police personnelhave been called to Rawalpindi from other districts to assist the local police in ensuring tight security arrangements for the cricket match.
Regional Police Officer Babar Sarfraz Alpa and City Police Officer Hassan Mushtaq Sukhera on Monday visited the stadium to review the security arrangements.
The SSP operations and Chief Traffic Officer Farhan Aslam briefed the RPO on security and traffic arrangements.
During the visit, the RPO reviewed the stadium, internaland external routes, parking areas, traffic arrangements for cricket fans and the deployment of police personnel assigned to security duties. He issued instructions to the concerned officers to make the security arrangements more stringent and effective. He said a close watch should be kept on suspicious persons and activities in and around the stadium during the match. Effective checking should be ensured on all internal and external routes, and no person should be allowed to enter without verification.
Additional police personnel should be deployed in the vicinity of the stadium, parking areas andsensitive places, while continuous surveillance should be maintained through modern technology, CCTV cameras and other available resources.
The RPO directed that the safety of cricket fans, players, officials and citizens should be ensured at all times. Officers and personnel deployed on duty should remain fully alert and have an immediate response plan to deal with any emergency situation. Its implementation should be ensured.
Regarding traffic arrangements, the RPO directed the CTO to ensure effective implementation of the comprehensive trafficplan to maintain traffic flow during the match, ensure uninterrupted traffic movement on alternative routes, deploy additional traffic wardens around important highways and the stadium, and ensure organised parking of vehicles in designated spaces. He also directed officials to provide timely traffic advisories to citizens so that they do notface unnecessary difficulties and traffic jams.
The RPO clarified that foolproof security and excellent traffic arrangements were the top priorities during an international cricket match. Any negligence or lapse in security would not be tolerated. All officers should dis-charge their responsibilities with full diligence, professionalism and mutual communication.
The CPO said that around 6,000 Rawalpindi police personnel were performing security and traffic duties. Effective traffic arrangements have been made for the convenience of citizens, while foolproof security and traffic arrangements were being ensured for the match.
Apart from this, foolproof security arrangements have also been made to ensure the safety of the additional police force called from other districts. The additional police force is staying at the Punjab Police Constabulary, Rawat.