ISLAMABAD: Police in Islamabad have deployed more than 1,500 officers and personnel to secure cattle markets ahead of Eid al-Adha, officials said on Friday.
Authorities introduced the security plan as large crowds and commercial activity are expected at cattle markets across the capital before the religious festival.
Eid al-Adha is one of the two major Islamic festivals celebrated by Muslims worldwide. Thousands of people visit cattle markets every year to buy goats, cows and bulls for ritual sacrifice.
The temporary markets often witness heavy traffic, large cash transactions and overcrowding, prompting authorities to strengthen security arrangements.
Islamabad police said they had finalized a comprehensive security plan to protect traders and buyers and prevent criminal activity at the markets.
Deputy Inspector General of Police Muhammad Jawad Tariq directed all patrolling units, including Capital Police patrol teams and local police stations, to remain on high alert and maintain emergency response readiness.
Traffic police officers will also remain deployed to ensure smooth traffic flow around cattle markets. Authorities urged citizens to park vehicles only in designated areas.
Police warned that action would be taken against unauthorized cattle markets established outside locations approved by the district administration.
“Our foremost duty is to protect the lives and property of Islamabad’s citizens and maintain law and order,” Tariq said.
The security measures come amid a broader rise in militant violence in Pakistan in recent years, particularly in the country’s northwestern and southwestern regions.
Although Islamabad has largely remained protected from major attacks for years, recent security incidents in the capital, including attacks targeting a judicial complex and a Shia mosque, have raised concerns over public safety in crowded urban areas.
Pakistan has witnessed a resurgence in militant violence since the collapse of a ceasefire between the state and the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan in late 2022.
Islamabad has repeatedly accused the Taliban-led administration in Afghanistan of allowing militants to use Afghan territory for attacks inside Pakistan, allegations denied by Kabul.
