Punjab imposes Section 144 for Ashura
PHOTO: File
Punjab Minister for Law and Cooperatives Basharat Raja announced that the government has imposed Section 144 on Muharram 9th and 10th, while pillion riding and mobile phone service would be banned in selected areas as per the requirement.
Briefing the media on Muharram security arrangements here on Tuesday, Raja said on the direction of Punjab Chief Minister Usman Bazdar, the provincial cabinet committee on law and order held separate meetings of each division besides consultations with religious scholars and leaders of the Majlis-e-Ittehad-e-Muslimeen to finalise the security arrangements.
He disclosed that 36,686 majalis (religious gatherings) and 9,318 processions would be held in the province for which 410,000 police personnel, 35 Rangers and 66 Army companies are being deployed on security.
Read Cellular services to be suspended during Ashura
He told media persons that exemplary cooperation from the scholars of all sects was going.
Due to special arrangements, he said, this time the Muharram gatherings and processions were not affected by the Independence Day celebrations. So far strict action has been taken against several people for spreading religious hatred on social media while clear instructions had also been given to the municipal services for the removal of encroachments and garbage on the routes of processions during Muharram.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 18th, 2021.