9th Muharram observed across K-P

Main Ashura procession held in Peshawar Saddar, old walled city

PESHAWAR:

Ninth Muharram was observed across Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) amid tight security arrangements with entire cities being sealed and closed for processions brought out in Peshawar, Kohat, Mardan, Dera Ismail Khan (DI Khan) and other districts in the province.

The main mourning procession on the occasion was taken out from the Hasina Imambargah in Peshawar’s Saddar area in the morning. Several processions were also taken out at night to mark Ashura in the city.

Ashura night processions were taken out from several small and big Imambargahs inside the old walled city of Peshawar.

Strict security arrangements had been made on the routes of the mourning processions. Mobile cellular services were also partially jammed in the city as a precautionary measure.

The main procession of 9th Muharram started from the Hussainia Imam Bargah in Peshawar’s Saddar area at 10 o’clock in the morning. A large number of devotees participated in the procession who recited nauha. The procession passed through Peshawar’s Saddar and Fakhr Alam Roads and then reached Kala Bari and Fawara Chowk where, after noon prayers, it returned through Saddar Road and ended at the Hussainia Imam Bargah.

Sabeels were set up along the procession routes which provided water and cold drinks to the participants.

Tight security arrangements had been made in the city for the occasion with roads leading to the processions being barricaded and entry to the area allowed only after body searches.

The Sadar area was completely sealed for outsiders, while Shab-e-Ashura processions were taken out from small and big Imambargahs which ended before evening prayers. Meanwhile, strict security arrangements were also made throughout the city. Around 14,000 police personnel were deployed across the city.

Snipers were also deployed on main buildings in Peshawar’s Sadar. Inspector General of Police (IGP) Akhtar Hayat visited the Sadar area and reviewed security. Bomb disposal squad personnel kept checking passageways of the procession.

Chief Traffic Officer Saud Khan also visited the routes of mourning processions in the cantonment. Traffic police had deployed more than 900 traffic wardens in various sectors to maintain the flow of traffic during Muharram.

He met the personnel deployed on alternative routes to maintain the flow of traffic throughout the city during Muharram and reviewed the arrangements related to the implementation of the traffic plan and expressed satisfaction over it.

He also instructed traffic officials to ensure proper implementation of the traffic plan so that citizens did not face any difficulties. Traffic officials, along with forklifts and chip riders, should be present at all times to keep the traffic flowing on roads, the Chief Traffic Officer had said.

Traffic authorities are conducting crackdowns throughout the city on vehicles parked illegally in no-parking zones.