New Year's Eve: Police take steps against aerial firing in Lahore and Karachi

Police said on Wednesday that security and other arrangements, including measures against aerial firing, were being made in Karachi and Lahore ahead of New Year's Eve.

According to a statement issued by the Karachi police spokesperson, the city's police chief had constituted a team for monitoring incidents of aerial firing in the metropolis.

In the statement, police appealed to citizens to remain vigilant. They also asked them to record and share videos of people firing into the air on New Year's Eve.

Citizens could send complaints and videos of persons involved in aerial firing on 0343-5142770 or share relevant information on the 15 police helpline, the statement added.

It stated that on a citizen's complaint, immediate legal action would be taken and those involved in aerial firing would be charged with attempted murder and other offences.

Arrangements in Lahore

Meanwhile, Lahore Police Operations Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Abid Khan said over 5,000 police personnel would be deployed across the city on New Year's Eve and warned that those violating the law, involved in hooliganism or disrupting peace would have to spend the night in jail.

Urging citizens to abstain from violating the law, he said that awareness in this regard would be raised by making announcements from mosques and launching special initiatives at main public spots and roads in the city.

In a statement issued by the Lahore police operations wing spokesperson, he was quoted as saying that security arrangements for New Year's Eve had been finalised. He said divisional superintendents of police would remain in the field under the supervision of Operations SSP Mustansar Feroze.

Moreover, he said, Dolphin Squad personnel, as well as those from the Police Response Unit and Elite Force, would perform duties in plain clothes.

The DIG said police was monitoring social media for videos of aerial firing and one-wheeling and that pickets had been set up at the city's main arteries to prevent the latter.

He further stated that indiscriminate action would be taken against citizens riding motorcycles without silencers.

The official also urged citizens to keep a check on mechanics involved in modifying motorcycles for one-wheeling and inform police on the 15 helpline in case they witness any suspicious person, activity or object.

Separately, Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Rao Sardar Ali Khan said in a statement that the crackdown on the manufacturers of fireworks had been intensified across the province.

The statement said the IGP had directed strict action against those manufacturing and selling fireworks and police had been carrying out raids at wholesale markets in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Multan, Gujranwala and Faisalabad in this regard.

"Action is being taken against those violating the law," it said.

The statement said the Punjab IGP had also issued directives for scaling up a campaign launched for raising awareness about penalties for one-wheeling, aerial firing, hooliganism, use of fireworks and violation of the Punjab Sound Systems Regulation Act, 2015, which pertains to regulating the use of loudspeakers and other similar devices.

Additionally, he said, banners for raising awareness in this regard would be displayed on main arteries in all cities of the province so that citizens "will celebrate the New Year in a peaceful and responsible manner".

Meanwhile, the Punjab police spokesperson said 1,555 cases were registered against the sellers of flammable substances and 1,690 persons were arrested for the offence in the province this year.

In a statement, he said 263,0324 crackers, 8,439 firecrackers, 17,950 suurli (a type of firework) and 26,698 anars (firework fountains) had been found in the possession of the arrested persons.

He said 158 cases against the sellers of incendiary substances had been registered this year in Lahore, where 184 persons had been arrested for the offence.

Similarly, he said, 23 cases were registered and 37 accused were arrested in Sheikhupura, 63 cases were registered and 76 persons were arrested in Gujranwala, 257 cases were registered and 330 persons were arrested in Rawalpindi, 54 cases were registered and 87 persons were arrested in Sargodha, 279 cases were registered and 425 persons were arrested in Faisalabad, 337 cases were registered and 55 persons were arrested in Dera Ghazi Khan and 67 cases were registered and 92 persons were arrested in Bahawalpur.

The spokesperson added that the Punjab police had appealed to citizens to report those manufacturing and selling fireworks on the 15 helpline so that strict action could be taken against them.

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