PESHAWAR: Reviewing security arrangements to maintain peace during Muharram in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Inspector General of Police Nasir Khan Durrani has directed the district police officers (DPOs) to make security zones and adopt three-layered security to frisk everyone entering any imambargah or joining a procession to avert any untoward incident.

The IGP also asked them to instantly register an FIR against anyone found violating the law.

He asked the of ficials to also keep the organisers andvolunteersupdated on these points.

Mr Durrani issued these directives to the police officers after he was briefed on the security plan for coming Muharram at the Central Police Office here on Wednesday, according to a press release.

All DPOs briefed the police chief with thehelp of maps and charts about the security plan for Muharram in their respective districts.

Additional IGPs and regional police officers (RPOs) also attended the meeting.

The IGP directed the police officers to perform Muharram duty with wisdom and conduct intelligence-led search and strike operation with special focus on proclaimed offenders and militants in their respective areas.

He pointed out that police would perform its duty as a frontline force and no loopholes would be allowed in the security arrangements. He directed the participants to take effective measures for ensuring sectarian harmony during Muharram.

The DIGs and DPOs were directed to review the security arrangements themselves by visiting the spot in uniform and organise snap checking across the districts with special emphasis on motorcycles having fake or no number plates.

They were also directed for deployment on hilltops and rooftops in sensitive areas and plugging of all streets leading to the imambargahs and making an emergency plan for every procession and carrying out routes sweeping of all the precessions.

The participants were asked to check the routes of processions and sensitive places insidethe city through sniffer dogs and depute a bomb disposal unit`s team with every procession of mourners. They were asked to make video recordings of all the processions and strictly discourage provocative speeches and hate literature.

The officers were directed to deploy women police for checking of women mourners. They were also asked to call all the volunteers, get their mobile phone numbers and brief them about the nature of duty.

The police chief made it clear that security arrangements adopted for Muharram would be checked through the special branch and CPO`s team and in case of any lapses the concerned DPO would be held responsible.

The meeting was informed that 2,614 majalis would be held and 426 big and small processions taken out from 245 imambargahs throughout the province during Muharram.

The IGP was briefed about the security plan adopted for peaceful observance of Muharram in dif ferent sensitive districts of the province i.e.

Peshawar, Kohat, Hangu, DI Khan, Bannu and Haripur. He was informed that Peshawar had 65 imambargahs where 301 majalis would be held and 122 small and big precessions taken out on different days of Muharram.