Pakistan

Muharram security plan: Balochistan CM enlists clerics’ help

Provincial government may introduce fresh legislation to ensure sectarian harmony, says Baloch.

Shezad Baloch November 11, 2013

Dr Baloch was of the view that maintaining law and order during Muharram is most important. PHOTO: NNI

QUETTA:

The Balochistan government has put in place an elaborate plan for the security of mourning processions during the month of Muharram, said the provincial chief minister on Sunday.

“Foolproof security arrangements have been put in place to protect all mourning processions,” Dr Abdul Malik Baloch said in a brief chat with journalists at the Chief Minister Secretariat in Quetta.

“Religious scholars from both Sunni and Shia sects have been taken into confidence while preparing the security plans for the processions,” he said as he appealed to the people to cooperate with law enforcers to end sectarian violence.

Earlier the chief minister presided over a meeting which reviewed security arrangements for mourning processions. Religious scholars from the two sects attended the meeting and assured the government that they would work together for maintaining peace in the province.

“I have suspended my official engagements to attend this meeting because I believe maintaining law and order during Muharram is more important than my other responsibilities,” he added.

The chief minister told the meeting that if needed, his government would introduce fresh legislation to ensure sectarian unity and harmony in the province. “My government will soon consult clerics from schools of thought to amicably resolve sectarian issues and bring religious unity to the province,” he added.

Dr. Baloch said his government was sincerely working to eliminate sectarian violence and that a strategy would be chalked out for this purpose. All stakeholders, including Shia and Sunni religious leaders, will be taken on board.

Police, Balochistan Constabulary, Frontier Corp and Anti Terrorism Force have been assigned the security of Ashura processions while Pakistan Army has been put on standby.

Attendees at the meeting included Home Minister Sarfraz Bugti, Provincial Minister Nawab Mohamed Khan Shawani and provincial government spokesperson Jan Mohammed Buledi.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 11^th,2013.