Five major processions to be taken out
Five major Ashura processions will be held in Rawalpindi today (Thursday) in memory of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) and the martyrs of Karbala.
Mobile phone services will be completely shut down throughout the day while the mourning processions will be monitored by helicopter surveillance. Sniffer dogs and the bomb disposal squad will thoroughly search the routes before the start of the mourning processions.
The roads will be sealed after Fajr prayers while car and motorcycle parking on these roads will be prohibited. The metro bus service will also be closed from 10 am to 1 pm as the procession will pass through Murree Road. Almost 350 CCTV cameras have been installed to monitor the security while 500 police and rangers troops have been deployed near the most sensitive place, Madrasa Taleemul Quran. The deputy commissioner, city police officer and assistant commissioner will also be present.
People have been directed not to stand on roofs, balconies and windows on either side of the route. However, policemen will be deployed on the roofs as part of security measures.
Read Arrangements in place for processions
The mourners will be allowed to enter the processions only through walk-through gates at the front. Participants are prohibited from carrying matchboxes, cigarettes and weapons in and around the procession.
The first procession will start from Imambargah Ashiq Hussain in Tali Mohalla at 11:30 am and will enter Iqbal Road after passing through Committee Chowk and Murree Road. The second major Ashura procession will be held at Imambargah Col Maqbool Hussain at 1 pm.
Other major processions will be held at Bohar Bazaar Chowk Imambargah Hifazat Ali Shah and Imambargah Shaheedan Karbala in Tire Bazaar at 4 pm. The fifth major procession will start from Imambargah Darbar Shah chan Chirag and enter the old fort at Urdu Bazaar Chowk while another will start from Imambargah Baltistania and end at Jamia Masjid Road.
The five Ashura processions of the city from Old Qila Chowk will pass through Jamia Masjid Road and end at Imambargah Qadeem while Majlis-e-Sham Ghariban will be held followed by Isha prayers at Imambargah Qadeem.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 19th, 2021.