No police? Punjab Rescue 1122 sacrificing a goat every day to ‘ward off’ terror

[Naveed Yaseen]

* Only five policemen deployed outside building
* Official says repeated requests to higher authorities have not succeeded in securing additional personnel

By Rana Tanveer

LAHORE: The Punjab Emergency Services Academy – or Rescue 1122 – is sacrificing a goat every day to prevent terrorists attacks, after police refused to provide the academy sufficient security amid threats from terrorists, Daily Times leant on Monday.

Sources in the academy said that Rescue 1122 was relying on its own security arrangements – with an “insufficient” number of security personnel provided by police.

The sources said the academy had been repeatedly threatened through fax messages and letters saying suicide attacks would be mounted against the service. They said senior instructors had started teaching cadets to deal with emergencies following the threats.

The academy administration has also advised cadets not to step put of the academy premises in uniform. They have even been asked not to stand in groups on university premises, in addition to being allowed to keep their cell phones close to them at the time of drills, said the sources, adding that the cadets previously had to keep their cell phones in their rooms.

The sources also said that a goat was sacrificed every day using money collected from cadets. “It’s for god’s blessings to keep us safe from terrorist attacks,” said the sources, adding that the cadets were voluntarily contributing money.

Meanwhile, the city police appear to be relying on the academy’s arrangements instead of providing security to it.

Daily Times learnt that a police team of only five men has been deployed at the main entry of the academy on Ferozepur Road. Not a single policeman has been deployed inside the building used to train hundreds of rescuers.

Dr Ali Imam, the academy’s administration officer, told Daily Times that authorities had done nothing despite repeated requests for tighter security. He said he visited the offices of the Lytton Road and Racecourse SHO’s two days ago, but he could secure the deployment of only three policemen at the academy.

He said the academy itself had deployed 20 security guards on the premises. He said these guards had been equipped with weapons inline with legal provisions, but “the weapons won’t be sufficient to counter terrorists”. He said if police could not provide the academy security, the government should facilitate the administration in setting up its own security system.

Imam said written requests sent to the Communication and Works Department had also not succeeded in securing personnel.

Also, the cadets at the academy are not satisfied with the level of security provided by police. Various cadets told to Daily Times that only a few policemen had been deployed at the main entry of the academy. They, however, said their morale was high.

Civil Lines Division SP Haider Ashraf told Daily Times that the internal security system of the academy was up to the mark. He said police had done all it could for the security of the academy. He said in case of an emergency, additional policemen would be provided to the administration.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...009_pg13_5