Remembrance: Youm-i-Ali procession ends at Karbala Gamay Shah

Mourners flagellate, recite nohas in reverence

LAHORE: The main Youm-i-Ali procession concluded peacefully at Karbala Gamay Shah on Monday after marching through the traditional route amid tight security.

The procession, which started in the morning from Mubarak Haveli, had reached Kashmiri Bazaar at Zuhr where the mourners offered Zuhrain prayers. They then set off again and reached Karbala Gamay Shah via Chowk Nawab Sahib, Lal Khoo, Mughal Haveli, Mohalla Shi’an, Nisar Haveli, Chohatta Mufti Baqar, Chowk Masjid Wazir Khan, Paniwala Talab, Shahi Mohalla, Bazaar Hakeeman and Ounchi Masjid, Bhati Gate.

Scholars accompanying the rally highlighted sacrifices rendered by Hazrat Ali (RA) and Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA), as the mourners flagellated. Noha Khwans recited nohas amid the slogan of Ya Hussain raised by the mourners.

Security

Police said they had made stringent security arrangements. Nearly 5,000 police officials had been deployed along the route. Sniffer dogs were used and officials from the Special Branch and the Bomb Disposal Squad had been tasked with checking the route. Barbed wires, barricades and containers had been put in place along the route. Aerial surveillance was also carried out. Police said snipers had been deployed at buildings along the route.

Participants of the procession were first frisked by security officials. They were then checked using metal detectors and finally asked to move through walkthrough gates to be part of the procession. Some volunteers, too, frisked the mourners.

Authorities said several CCTV cameras had been installed along the route. They said security arrangements were being monitored from Ops Room – a centralised Command and Control Room set up the at Operations DIG’s office. Officials from the Dolphin Squad, the Police Response Unit, the Quick Response Force and Elite Force patrolled the areas along the route.

The DIG, the divisional SPs and DSPs continued to monitor security arrangements.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 28^th, 2016.