Pakistan boosts security ahead of Eid festival

ISLAMABAD, Sept. 19 -- Pakistani authorities have strengthened security across the country to avert any unpleasant incident on the occasion of Eid ul-Fitr festival, according to local media reports Saturday.

According to Islamabad Police officials, all police personnel have been asked to maintain a high state of vigilance during the Eid holidays particularly at the time of Eid congregations, the official news agency APP reported.

"For this purpose leaves of all the cops have been cancelled and commandos have been asked to comb the main routes of the federal capital as the entry and exit points of the city have been sealed for effective checking," police said.

In eastern Pakistan's biggest city of Lahore, police officer Muhammad Pervaiz Rathore said that heavy contingents of police reserves personnel would be deployed on Eid days in sensitive areas and at important mosques, imam bargahs and recreational places. He said more 100 contingents of police commandoes and elite force in 250 jeeps and 150 motorcycles would carry out patrolling in shifts.

Inspector General Pakistan Railways Police Raza Gardazi said special teams of police commandoes equipped with sophisticated weapons have been deployed in all the special trains during the Eid holidays across the country to ensure safety of the passengers.

He said that network of close circuit television cameras installed at all important railway stations have been made functional for the security, and police have also been deployed at all important and sensitive installations of railways.

Pakistan will celebrate the Eid festival, which marks the end of the fasting month Ramazan, with traditional religious enthusiasm, from Sept. 21 to 23. The government has launched a several-day holidays for the Eid festival, a major one for Muslims.