Muharram security: ‘Maintaining peace top priority’

CM assures to resolve grievances of Shia ulema

KARACHI: Maintaining peace, tranquility and law and order during Muharram is our top priority, said Chief Minister (CM) Murad Ali Shah at a meeting with Shia ulema at CM House on Monday.

The CM is holdings meetings with ulema from various schools of thought to develop consensus regarding implementation of a code of conduct during Muharram.

The ulema raised several issues with CM, including prolonged load-shedding, dilapidated roads, water shortage and overflowing gutters and requested him to remove names of some ulema from Schedule-IV of the Anti-Terrorism Act.

The CM assured them of following up on their complaints.

Speaking about the permission for a new procession route, he said that it will be accommodated from next year onwards. It is our ultimate responsibility to provide security to majalis and rallies, therefore new rallies cannot be adjusted in the current security plan for Muharram, he explained.

Talking about the use of loudspeakers, the CM remarked that there is no ban on using loudspeakers when a khutba is being delivered, however playing recorded speeches is not allowed.  The ulema assured the chief minister of their support and cooperation.

The CM directed special assistant on religious affairs, Dr Qayoom Soomro, to coordinate with Shia ulema and verify the names of Shia ulema on schedule-IV and then remove them.

"We cannot put leading ulema on schedule -IV, [we should] let them address majalis," he added. The meeting was also attended by Sindh IG AD Khawaja, Additional IGs and the home secretary, among others.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 4^th, 2016.