More than 1,200 police officers and personnel were deployed to provide security for Taxila’s central 13th Muharram procession, which concluded peacefully on Monday under stringent security arrangements. In addition to the security deployment, over 60 traffic police officials managed vehicular movement to minimise disruption and facilitate the smooth passage of the procession.
Massive Security Footprint Across Rawalpindi
Overall, around 8,000 police officers and personnel remained on security duty across Rawalpindi district during Muharram to maintain law and order and ensure the safety of mourners. Senior police officers personally supervised the security arrangements throughout the procession route.
Walk-through gates were installed at all entry points, while mourners were allowed to enter only after undergoing thorough body searches. The procession remained under constant surveillance through the Safe City Rawalpindi monitoring system and other closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras installed along the route.
Rooftop Sharpshooters and Route Sealing
According to City Police Officer (CPO) Syed Khalid Mehmood Hamdani, rooftop sharpshooters had also been deployed to reinforce security, while all streets, roads and access points leading to the procession route were sealed to prevent any untoward incident. He said strict compliance with the Muharram code of conduct and the Punjab government’s security directives was ensured throughout the event, adding that all possible measures had been taken to provide foolproof security for mourners.
