Daily Times

PESHAWAR: The processions of Muharram 9 were taken out and Majalis-e-Aza were held amid tight security across the province on Tuesday to remember the sacrifices of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) and his companions.

The mobile phone service was remained suspended in most sensitive districts for Muharram to avert the probable terrorists’ attacks.

Around 36,000 police personnel and law enforcement agencies (LEAs) have been deployed on the routes of processions across the province.

The main ‘alam’ procession was brought out in the morning from Imambargah Hussainia Hall on Saddar Road in the Cantonment area. The shia mourners’ offered Zuhrain prayers at Kalabari and after passing through Fawara Chowk, the procession returned to the Hussainia Hall afternoon, while big and small processions were also taken out from various locations in the evening after which Majalis-e-Aza were held. The Zuljinah processions will be taken out from Imambargah Alam Shah and Mirza Qasim Baig in the city today (Wednesday).

Similarly, mourning processions and majalis would also held in other parts of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) including DI Khan, Parachinar, Hangu, Kohat, to commemorate the supreme sacrifices of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA), grandson of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), along with other martyrs in the battle of Karbala in modern-day Iraq in the year 680.

A large number of chest-beating and ‘Noaha’ reciting mourners’ participated in the procession and also performed ‘Zanjeer zani’, sabeels of water, milk and ‘Nayaz’ were distributed by local organisers at different points for mourners, while a special mobile medical team from Peshawar Hospital, DHQ hospitals and Rescue 1122 provided treatment to the mourners.

Stringent security measures were made to thwart any untoward incident on the occasion. The law enforcement agencies officials were deployed at entry points, and routes leading to procession closed by barbs wires and tents.

The traders in city, especially those of the sealed off areas, were advised to close their business on Tuesday and Wednesday for the Muharram 9-10 processions.

All the roads and small routes leading to the main Saddar Bazaar and the city were closed for all kinds of traffic and even pedestrians were not allowed to enter some of the areas. The mourners attending the processions had to pass through rigorous body search at numerous security checkpoints. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police had declared Peshawar, Hangu, Kohat and Dera Ismail Khan as the most sensitive districts for Muharram.

According to a statement issued by the police, 429 Muharram processions will be taken out in the province, while 940 majalis will take place during the month. The provincial capital has 67 imambargahs from where 121 precessions will be taken out on Muharram 9-10.

The mourning processions were also monitored by air surveillance, while the members of Imamia Students Organisation volunteers’ force checked mourners before entering the procession areas, while walk through gates were also installed at various points. The control rooms have been set up for strict monitoring through CCTV cameras. As many as 12,000 personnel of police were deployed in provincial capital for security of mourning processions, which were taken out various areas of provincial metropolis.

The district administration also imposed section 144 to abandon the pilling riding, and completely banned entry of Afghan refugees in the city areas.

The members of Shia community dressed in black marked the day with mourning rituals and passion plays re-enacting the martyrdom.

The mourning also performed self-flagellation by knives and beating their chests, recalling the sacrifices of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) and his companions for the supremacy of Islam.

Later, majalis was held at various imambargahs where ‘Zakareen’ highlighted the sacrifices of Hazrat Imam Hussain and Karbala incident with particular emphasis on the martyrdom of the companions of Hazrat Imam Hussain (AS) and its philosophy.

Meanwhile, Nasir Khan Durrani, provincial police chief, visited police command post, established at Kohati Gate, Peshawar to monitor the security arrangements. He informed that cell phone service remained suspended in areas of mourners’ procession in provincial capital.

Meanwhile, Nasir Khan Durrani, IGP Khyber Pakthunkhwa (KP), on Tuesday said the KP police have made foolproof security arrangements for peaceful observance of Ashura Muharram and any misadventure on the part of any terrorist group will get matching response.

He informed that irrelevant people will not be allowed on the routes of the mourning procession and reiterated his pledge that any misadventure on the part of any terrorist group will get matching response from the police force.

He expressed these views during his visit to police command post in Kohati Peshawar and central command post in Nowshera to review security arrangements for Ashura Muharram.

The IGP, at both command post and central post, met with the elders of both sects and Aman Committee members and exchanged views with them about security arrangements, says a police statement.

The IGP, at command post Peshawar, went to various sections of the post and inspected and reviewed in detail the security steps of police adopted for peaceful observance of Muharram.

SSP Operations Peshawar, Abbas Majeed Khan Marwat, briefed the IGP about the security management and live electronic monitoring of the processions.

The IGP expressed satisfaction over the modern security steps taken by the police and issued some more necessary instructions to the police authorities present on the occasion.

The IGP also met separately with the delegation of Ahle Tashie and Ahle Sunnat and exchanged views with them about the security arrangements adopted by the police in the command post.

Both the delegations expressed full satisfaction over the police security measures as well as assured their full cooperation for peaceful observance of Muharram.

The IGP also met with the officials of other departments who were performing duty at the post and held in high esteem their efforts for peaceful observance of Muharram.

Later, the IGP visited the central command post in Nowshera and reviewed the security arrangements adopted for ensuring peaceful observance of Muharram.

DPO Nowshera, Wahid Mehmood, briefed the IGP about the security steps taken for Muharram in Nowshera.

The IGP also visited main baazar in Nowshera city where he met with the traders and general public and exchanged views with them about the security arrangements.

They expressed full satisfaction over the security arrangements and assured their full cooperation in this connection.

He directed the police to properly scan the routes of all the mourning processions ahead of its starting through BDU unit and sniffer dogs.

While talking to the media, the IGP pointed out that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was the most sensitive province of the country regarding Muharram.

The command post had been established in all districts of the province, while the mourning processions will be taken out in 12 districts of the province out of which five districts including Peshawar, Hangu, Kohat, DI Khan and Tank had been declared most sensitive district.