Security protocol: No more family goodbye, see-off

[Shah-i-Kot]

Security protocol: No more family goodbye, see-off

By Saad Hasan
Published: June 29, 2014


KARACHI: Perhaps the most significant effect of security threats at airports will be felt from July 6 when aviation authorities stop all but one person from receiving or seeing off passengers.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) on Saturday announced that under its new strict security protocol, a restriction on the entry of more than one person will be enforced at airports across the country.
“For this purpose, we need everyone’s support. We want the public to realise that this is being done for their own safety,” the CAA spokesperson said. “The security measures will be strictly enforced by the Airport Security Force (ASF).”
For hundreds of thousands of emigrants, expats, their families and friends, Pakistani airports have offered fond experiences. Every time someone arrived from abroad, several relatives and loved ones would be waiting at the arrival gate to receive the person.
At times, scenes witnessed at the airports are amusing. Dozens of family members, cramped in hired buses and Suzuki vans, would come to the airport, bringing garlands, rose petals and even party poppers.
Even the way people lined up along barriers right in front of the glass gates of arrival and departure sections is memorable. The wait could start three hours before the flight.
“This is something specific to our Pakistani culture,” says Sabeen Hasan, a banker who travels frequently on official trips. “But the government knows better. Security has become a big issue these days. You never know who can sneak in with a bomb or a weapon.”
The airports, especially Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport, have also been sort of entertainment spot for many years. Through the 1980s and 1990s, people came along with families just to see planes take off. A terrace specifically built for this purpose, where one could go after paying a small fee, was open for public till a few days back.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 29th, 2014.

[Shah-i-Kot]

http://www.dawn.com/news/1115870/special-security-measures-around-airports

Special security measures around airports

By The Newspaper's Staff Reporter

LAHORE: Alarmed by the shooting incident at Peshawar airport, Punjab police have decided to take special measures around all such establishments in the province to ensure foolproof security of planes during their take off and landing.
The decision was taken at the first meeting of regional police officers (RPOs) called by Inspector General Mushtaq Sukhera here on Saturday.
Police would continue search operations in residential areas around the airports and data of the residents would also be collected and maintained, decided the meeting where Mr Sukhera asked his team to resist pressure in professional matters.
“I will stand by the honest and committed officers and officials. There is no place in the department for the corrupt policemen who are defaming the uniform,” he said
The meeting decided that the IG would himself monitor the incidents of dacoity, dacoity-cum-murder and kidnap for ransom.It was decided to register internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Punjab to single out miscreants in the backdrop of the ongoing military operation in North Waziristan.
It was decided surprise pickets would be set up in cities and the permanent ones would be removed to ease citizens. However, the police pickets set up at the entry and exit points of cities would remain functional to check the movement of criminals and terrorists.
The meeting decided to withdraw Elite Police from security duties and regular police from the guard duty of serving and retired police officers. DNA test in rape cases was declared compulsory.
It decided to reactivate anti-riot forces to avoid Model Town-like happenings, and to hold short-courses and issue new instructions for policemen.
The meeting decided to hand over interrogation of terror suspects to the counter terrorism department (CTD) and hire the best legal experts for judicial inquiries. It finalised a strategy to end the culture of custodial killings and escape of accused persons from court premises.
Morning drill at the Police Lines on every Monday was declared compulsory. The officers were directed to ensure cleanliness at the police headquarters, or face action.
The IG asked his team members to ensure foolproof security at mosques during Ramazan and order frisking of people with metal detectors and walk through gates during Taraveeh prayers.
Earlier, he said police would have to work jointly to remove the stigma of the Model Town incident. The field officers should leave no stone unturned to ensure justice rather than conniving with influential persons.
Mr Sukhera said he would never compromise on the dignity of police force no matter he stayed in his office for one year or a single day. Only the efficient officials and officers would be given promotions, he added. He said around 500 new vehicles would be provided to police by the end of this year. As many as 200 new vehicles had already been approved and would be given to police within two to three months. At least one armoured personnel carrier (APC) would be given to police in each district during the next fiscal year, he announced.
The meeting also reviewed in detail the cases of murder, sectarian killings, extortion, kidnap for ransom, rape, robbery, dacoity-cum-rape, robbery-cum-murder and arrest of proclaimed offenders and police encounters. Every RPO briefed the IG about the current crime situation in his jurisdiction.
Published in Dawn, June 29th, 2014

[Shah-i-Kot]

http://tribune.com.pk/story/728470/a...law-and-order/


At alert: Pakistan Army deployed in city’s suburbs to maintain law and order

By Riaz Ahmad
Published: June 29, 2014


PESHAWAR: Officials of the Pakistan Army have been deployed along with police in Masho Khel, Mashogagar, Sheikh Muhammadi and Garhi Mali Khel villages of the provincial capital to ward off any other militant attack.

An official of the Badhaber police station told The Express Tribune on Saturday that the army has been deployed inside police check posts in several areas on the city’s outskirts to maintain law and order under.
He added the security forces actively patrol the roads after nightfall.
“They have asked locals to not leave their houses after 8pm and farmers have also been asked to cut their groves of trees because they provide the perfect hiding place for militants or attackers,” said the official.
He added army troops had also been deployed inside Sheikh Muhammadi Grid Station as well as at a police check post in Mashogagar.
“Around 30 soldiers have been positioned at each check post which is an important development towards stopping the movement of local militants,” he added.
Search operation
Furthermore, as many as 10 people were arrested based on suspicion and shifted to the police station for interrogation on Saturday when the security forces and Badhaber police conducted a door-to-door search operation in Suleman Khel village.
“We have arrested at least 10 people in a search and strike operation and they are being interrogated,” the police official explained.
He further said the police had no doubts that the attack on a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) plane earlier this week was carried out by local militants belonging to Suleman Khel.
On June 24, a PIA flight was shot at by militants while it was landing at the Bacha Khan International Airport. A woman was killed and two others were injured in the assault.
Following the incident, the police with the help of the security forces arrested over 220 people in a joint search operation in Suleman Khel, Masho Khel, Sheikh Muhammadi and adjacent villages. Those arrested were shifted to Government Girls High School, Badhaber for interrogation.
The residents, however, were not happy about a search operation conducted without women police constables. They maintained that this was against local traditions and could provoke people to extend support to militants rather than cooperate with law enforcement agencies.
By Saturday, most of the people arrested in that operation had been released. A local told The Express Tribune, “They have released all the government servants and well as traders but a few suspects are still in custody.
Man kidnapped
Heavily armed militants stormed the house of Musarat Shah in Gulshanabad, Mattani and kidnapped him at gunpoint late Friday night.
They also planted explosives in the house and detonated them before leaving. The structure was razed to the ground as a result of the blast.
According to police, Shah’s brother had been an active member of a local militant outfit, however, Shah was against the affiliation and therefore sent his brother to Saudi Arabia. Since then, the militants had been after Shah, said the police.
“The militants planted three explosive devices in Shah’s house which exploded with a huge sound creating panic in the area,” said police, adding Shah was taken to an unknown location.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 29th, 2014.

[DaZahroJaam.]

it's not the end of the world. most countries in asia/middle east have been doing that for quiet a while now and now that i think of it, it makes perfect sense. only the person flying gets to enter the airport and that too after providing their plane ticket and passport to the security guards. it's to prevent airports from getting over crowded and control the security of those actually flying.