Amid tight security: Muharram 9 procession culminates peacefully

More than 20,000 police officers, Rangers deployed in the city

KARACHI: To commemorate the sacrifices rendered by Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA), his family and companions, the main Muharram 9 procession was held peacefully on Tuesday amid strict security measures.

A majlis was held at Nishtar Park from where the main mourning procession started and passed through MA Jinnah Road, Mehfil-e-Shah Khurasan, Saddar, Preedy Street and Baba-e-Urdu Road. The mourners offered Zuhr prayers at Imambargah Ali Raza on MA Jinnah Road and the procession culminated at Hussainian Iranian Imambargah in Kharadar.

Strict security measures were taken by law enforcement agencies to avoid any untoward incident and more than 20,000 police officers and Rangers troops were deployed.

Six thousand of the 20,000 law enforcers were deployed only to protect the main procession and majalis. The same security arrangements will also be taken for the Ashura procession, which will be held today (Wednesday).

In addition to the deployment of law enforcers, round-the-clock surveillance was also conducted through over 1,200 closed-circuit television cameras (CCTV) at a control room in Civic Centre. Shops in Saddar and those along the procession routes were closed and sealed. The roads linking the procession routes and majalis venues were closed by placing containers.

Police commandos and snipers were also deployed on the rooftops of the buildings to monitor the mourning procession. Mourners were allowed to enter the processions only after going through body checks and walk-through gates. Besides law enforcers, nearly 5,000 scouts from various scouts organisations, rescue services and city administration also made necessary arrangements to facilitate the participants of the mourning procession.

A ban had already been imposed on pillion riding in various districts of Sindh, including Karachi, from Muharram 8 till Muharram 10 by the provincial government. Senior Rangers and police officials also visited the central procession to review the security arrangements.

The health department and Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) declared an emergency in all the public hospitals of Karachi and ordered to ensure availability of doctors, paramedics and medicines, while Karachi health director declared emergency in 18 town health offices of the city till Muharram 12 and also established medical camps in this regard.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 12^th, 2016.