Fool-proof arrangements? Security apparatus ensures relatively peaceful Ashura
Five injured after unidentified militants launch rockets, mortar shells in Hangu city.
Five injured after unidentified militants launch rockets, mortar shells in Hangu city. PHOTO: APP/ FILE
HANGU/PESHAWAR:
Strict security measures ensured Muharram 8, 9 and 10 went by peacefully in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), even in the most sensitive areas of the province, with the exception of Hangu. Unidentified militants fired 17 rockets, injuring five in the city on Friday.
According to the provincial home department, four districts were declared highly sensitive and five partially so in the security plan devised for Muharram. In the aftermath of Friday’s violence in Rawalpindi, security will remain heightened in certain places in K-P.
The big guns
Muharram security arrangements included aerial monitoring through helicopters, ban on pillion riding and display of weapons, confining Afghan refugees to their camps, deployment of police, security forces and commandos as well as sealing all entrance and exit points to the aforementioned districts.
Teams of Quick Response Force were also on high alert to tackle an insurgency or outlaws, and sniffer dogs were employed to inspect procession routes. Monitoring cells were established in all districts to supervise security. At the provincial monitoring cell in Peshawar, arrangements had been made for Home Secretary Syed Akhtar Ali Shah to issue immediate orders for security officials if needed.
Shah thanked all law enforcement, security forces district administrations, traffic officials, relevant government departments, elders and Ulema for helping maintain peace.
Rocket attack
Five people were severely injured in a rocket and mortar shell attack in Hangu on Muharram 10. Unlike other parts of K-P, a curfew remained in place there on Muharram 11 (Saturday) as well.
Hangu Deputy Commissioner (DC) Syed Ahmad Jan told reporters unidentified militants fired 17 rockets and mortar shells from surrounding mountains at Hangu city on Friday.
Some of the ammo landed inside Dr Muhammad Saleem’s residence in Lakhti Bhanda where Shazia Bibi, Shamim Bibi, Halima Bibi and Mumtaz Bibi were injured. They were rushed to Kohat Divisional Hospital. In Gulshan Colony, Ajab Khan was wounded. The rest of the rockets landed in Hangu Bazaar and adjacent areas.
Afterwards, according to the DC, safety measures were tightened in the entire district, especially along Muharram procession routes, where security forces had been deployed.
Mobile phone services were also suspended on Muharram 9 and 10 in addition to the curfew. On Friday evening, the district government relaxed the curfew at around 7pm. However, after an hour, announcements were made from local mosques ordering locals to remain indoors as the curfew had been re-imposed in Hangu Bazaar and surrounding areas.
Meanwhile, security forces launched a search operation Friday evening and arrested 28 suspects including 11 police officials, said Jan.
Four mortar shells, one RPG-7, one 3not3 rifle, 30 bullets, one 12-bore rifle, four pistols and two hand grenades were seized from the suspects. They were shifted to an undisclosed location for further investigation.
Peshawar
Ashura came to a peaceful conclusion in the provincial metropolis on Friday as 23 large and small mourning processions took place amid what might be considered fool-proof security arrangements.
The largest procession on Muharram 10 started from Alam Shah Jafari Imambargah, Kochi Bazaar. Around 2,500 participants marched to Qissa Khwani Bazaar; after passing through Dhaki Dalgaran, the procession circled back to Kochi Bazaar where it ended.
Around five in the evening, Ashura processions ended peacefully. Police removed some barriers to allow vehicular traffic to provide relief to city dwellers whose movement had been restricted due to road closures and other safety arrangements.
IGP Nasir Khan Durrani visited the command and control post established inside Kochi Bazaar and met policemen, volunteers and Shia elders. He appreciated security arrangements in the city and urged the police force to keep their morale and spirits up to prevent terrorists’ plan coming to fruition.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 17th, 2013.
Strict security measures ensured Muharram 8, 9 and 10 went by peacefully in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), even in the most sensitive areas of the province, with the exception of Hangu. Unidentified militants fired 17 rockets, injuring five in the city on Friday.
According to the provincial home department, four districts were declared highly sensitive and five partially so in the security plan devised for Muharram. In the aftermath of Friday’s violence in Rawalpindi, security will remain heightened in certain places in K-P.
The big guns
Muharram security arrangements included aerial monitoring through helicopters, ban on pillion riding and display of weapons, confining Afghan refugees to their camps, deployment of police, security forces and commandos as well as sealing all entrance and exit points to the aforementioned districts.
Teams of Quick Response Force were also on high alert to tackle an insurgency or outlaws, and sniffer dogs were employed to inspect procession routes. Monitoring cells were established in all districts to supervise security. At the provincial monitoring cell in Peshawar, arrangements had been made for Home Secretary Syed Akhtar Ali Shah to issue immediate orders for security officials if needed.
Shah thanked all law enforcement, security forces district administrations, traffic officials, relevant government departments, elders and Ulema for helping maintain peace.
Rocket attack
Five people were severely injured in a rocket and mortar shell attack in Hangu on Muharram 10. Unlike other parts of K-P, a curfew remained in place there on Muharram 11 (Saturday) as well.
Hangu Deputy Commissioner (DC) Syed Ahmad Jan told reporters unidentified militants fired 17 rockets and mortar shells from surrounding mountains at Hangu city on Friday.
Some of the ammo landed inside Dr Muhammad Saleem’s residence in Lakhti Bhanda where Shazia Bibi, Shamim Bibi, Halima Bibi and Mumtaz Bibi were injured. They were rushed to Kohat Divisional Hospital. In Gulshan Colony, Ajab Khan was wounded. The rest of the rockets landed in Hangu Bazaar and adjacent areas.
Afterwards, according to the DC, safety measures were tightened in the entire district, especially along Muharram procession routes, where security forces had been deployed.
Mobile phone services were also suspended on Muharram 9 and 10 in addition to the curfew. On Friday evening, the district government relaxed the curfew at around 7pm. However, after an hour, announcements were made from local mosques ordering locals to remain indoors as the curfew had been re-imposed in Hangu Bazaar and surrounding areas.
Meanwhile, security forces launched a search operation Friday evening and arrested 28 suspects including 11 police officials, said Jan.
Four mortar shells, one RPG-7, one 3not3 rifle, 30 bullets, one 12-bore rifle, four pistols and two hand grenades were seized from the suspects. They were shifted to an undisclosed location for further investigation.
Peshawar
Ashura came to a peaceful conclusion in the provincial metropolis on Friday as 23 large and small mourning processions took place amid what might be considered fool-proof security arrangements.
The largest procession on Muharram 10 started from Alam Shah Jafari Imambargah, Kochi Bazaar. Around 2,500 participants marched to Qissa Khwani Bazaar; after passing through Dhaki Dalgaran, the procession circled back to Kochi Bazaar where it ended.
Around five in the evening, Ashura processions ended peacefully. Police removed some barriers to allow vehicular traffic to provide relief to city dwellers whose movement had been restricted due to road closures and other safety arrangements.
IGP Nasir Khan Durrani visited the command and control post established inside Kochi Bazaar and met policemen, volunteers and Shia elders. He appreciated security arrangements in the city and urged the police force to keep their morale and spirits up to prevent terrorists’ plan coming to fruition.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 17th, 2013.