Cellular services suspended for 7th Muharram

While multiple routes were blocked, causing problems for residents and those with medical needs

QUETTA: The procession of the seventh of Muharram was taken out amid tight security, including the suspension of cellular services for the day, and concluded peacefully after passing through the designated route in Quetta on Saturday.

Nearly 6,000 security personnel of the provincial police and the Frontier Corps (FC) were deployed along the procession route while three battalions of the army were placed on standby.

Meanwhile, cellular service was suspended since 8:00 am, while multiple routes were blocked, causing problems for residents particularly the elderly with medical needs.

Quetta Deputy Inspector General Abdul Razzaq Cheema said that five processions had started from different spots in the city and converged into one procession, with the proceedings taking place within the designated time.

“Around 2,800 police personnel were posted at various spots along the designated routes, while 3,000 FC personnel were deployed for the security of the rest of the city,” Cheema said, adding that special teams were also monitoring the situation on CCTV.

Furthermore, snipers were deployed on high-rise buildings and critical points along the route.

Traffic was also thin in the city due to the closure of multiple roads, including Prince Road and Liaquat Bazaar. Markets along the route also stayed closed.

Hundreds of mourners, including women and children, carrying flags and Alams participated in the procession in order to pay their homage to the martyrs of Karbala.

Balochistan Shia Conference President Syed Dawood Agha praised the security arrangements for the Muharram procession taken out on Saturday, while also lauding the cooperation provided by the district administration.

However, he added, the district administrations in Dadhar and Hub didn’t cooperate with mourners coming to join Quetta’s procession and demanded of the provincial government to take notice of the incident of misbehaviour with mourners by the local officials. 

Published in The Express Tribune, September 8^th, 2019.