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RAWALPINDI: An intelligence agency has recommended the provincial education department as well as all regional police officers (RPOs) and other departments concerned to ensure foolproof security at educational institutions.
In view of the security situation and circumstances prevailing in the country, the intelligence has recommended that the security parametres devised for the institutions should be implemented on priority with an aim to improve them.
“Lacunas should be removed on priority basis so that foolproof security of educational institutions can be ensured,” the intelligence agency recommended.
According to sources, a fresh security audit of educational institutions of category A was conducted in February to check the security measures adopted at the educational institutions and to identify lacunas to ensure foolproof security of the institutions throughout Punjab to avert any possible terrorist activity.
Scrutiny of facts and figures revealed that out of 38 security parametres devised for the security of educational institutions, improvement has been noticed in just six parametres.
As per the intelligence agency, deterioration had been observed in 19 parametres while 14 neither showed improvement nor deterioration, which clearly shows that the authorities concerned did not pay any attention to improve their security checks.
A security audit of 4,820 educational institutions of category A across the Punjab province, including 464 functioning in Rawalpindi region had been conducted in November 2021 which detected major security lapses, the sources said.
The purpose of conducting a security audit was to review the security measures adopted at the academic institutions and to identify security flaws and to ensure foolproof security at the educational institutions, an official of the agency said.
The SOPs regarding foolproof security of educational institutions, already issued by the Punjab home department, were not being followed by the district administrations and law enforcement agencies.
Out of 4,820 educational institutions of category A, 1,007 are located in Gujranwala region, 745 in Multan region, 490 in Sheikhupura region, 464 in Rawalpindi region, 457 in Sargodha region, 450 in D.G. Khan region, 415 in Sahiwal region, 351 in Faisalabad region, 313 institutions of category A are located in Bahawalpur region and only 128 educational institutions of category A are in Lahore.
Vetting of Afghan labourers and combing operations were not carried out by the Special Branch at any institution, the agency said, adding panic button was not available at 38 institutions.
Fresh security audit of educational institutions was conducted in February this year in which the intelligence identified the security lapses and suggested to the authorities concerned to remove all lacunas on top priority basis to ensure foolproof security.