(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-01-20 14:37

ISLAMABAD -- The Interior Ministry of Pakistan has issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to be adopted by law enforcing agencies to prevent suicide bombings, the ministry spokesman Javed Iqbal Cheema said on Saturday.

Cheema said in a statement that the provinces had been asked to sensitize all personnel of the law enforcing agencies about the SOP. He said contingency plans had also been prepared and SOP devised for security of the routes of Ashura processions.

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Every effort had been made to ensure foolproof security during the 10th day of Muharram on Sunday, Cheema said, adding that "walkthrough gates", metal detectors, closed circuit televisions and screening machines had been installed outside venues of religious gatherings.

Apart from police forces, the services of paramilitary Rangers and Army are also used to prevent any untoward incident.

A total of 36 districts of the country have been declared sensitive and special attention is being paid to them to ensure security in these areas, Cheema said. Among the 36 districts, 15 are from Punjab, 9 from Sindh, 8 from Northwest, one from Balochistan and three districts from Northern Areas, he added.

Peace Committees consisting of religious ulema and law enforcing agencies have been activated and meetings held on daily basis to take stock of the situation, Cheema said.

A suicide bomber struck a gathering of Shiite Muslims in the northern city of Peshawar on Thursday, killing 12 people and injuring 23 others.

Around 400 people, most security men, were killed in suicide attacks across Pakistan last year, a report of News Network International news agency said.