Pakistan

Government calls for sectarian harmony during Muharram

Overall security arrangements for Muharram include sharpshooters, aerial vigilance, curfews in "tense areas".

Ppi December 06, 2010

ISLAMABAD: A high level meeting chaired Monday by Interior Minister Rehman Malik reviewed overall security arrangements made for holy month of Muharram and directed all Provincial Home Secretaries and IGs Police to meet with religious leaders and issue joint declarations to promote sectarian harmony in the country.

In the meeting it was decided that security forces would identify sensitive areas where mourning processions will be taken out, while no sectarian leader would be allowed to make speech fanning sectarianism.

The meeting appealed all religious leaders to avoid passing of any remarks, which may hurt feelings of others, saying “Let us respect each others’ Aqeedas (beliefs) for the sake of Islam and Pakistan.”

It was also decided that high powered committees comprising notable Shia, Sunni, political and religious leaders would be formed in all provinces. Snipers and sharp shooters will be deployed in tension ridden areas and aerial vigilance continue from 1st to 10th of Muharram. Additionally, it was decided that curfew would be imposed in “tense areas” to ensure peace, tranquility and avoid any untoward incident. The Army will also be kept on stand-by to tackle any untoward incident.

An Operation Room of National Crisis Management Cell would coordinate with the provinces, share real time intelligence and operate round-the-clock during Muharrum. Police patrolling will be enhanced in all provinces, Islamabad Capital Territory, Gilgit Baltistan & AJK.

The meeting was attended by Secretary Interior, all Provincial Home Secretaries, Inspector Generals of Police, Director Generals Punjab & Sindh Rangers, Inspector Generals of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa & Balochistan FCs, Chief Commissioner, IG Islamabad Police and representatives of intelligence agencies.

COMMENTS (3)

faizah | 13 years ago | Reply Assaalamualaikum, @Sinshi, u r correc! :) Be calm..By doing all that histerically..is it contributing to islam? Muslims should express their grief by trying to be excell . Bring gud to community, promote peace n understanding. Try to seek forgiveness to each other. Be united. Chanel positive energy to ppl around us n take the history as lesson. That's how we do it in our country. I wonder if rasulullah n hassan n hussin see us...what they will feel..Proud or Dissappointed... Wallu a'lam

aaa | 13 years ago | Reply @Sindhi, Unfortunately I would like to believe you suffer from an individual pathology but I am certain a great number of Pakistanis (a truly remarkable nation for whom religious bigotry is a badge of honour) share your vile and repulsive views so this applies to those who shall follow with their sectarian bile thinly disguised as objectivity. You do not care about your fellow Pakistanis, no one is this country does so do not even feign compassion or concern. What bothers you is one religious minority refuses to play by the rules in the "Land of the Pure" i.e., keep quiet, remain weak, be out of sight and out of mind, then if something happens to you, we will perhaps mourn your loss, write a couple of op-eds, post comments and blog about how ashamed we are to be Pakistanis, however, if you insist on your rights, perform your rituals in public, demonstrate, call on the state to protect you, then you are all fools being led by publicity-seeking clerics backed by that meddling regime across the border and deserve no sympathy for what befalls you. Let all my dear compatriots with their characteristic humanity, compassion and decency that Mr. Sindhi has so ably demonstrated, opine away and with the utmost of sensitivity, blame the victims again.

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