Mourning processions: Chehlum observed peacefully
228 processions, 920 mourning sessions held in south Punjab.
File photo of a Chehlum procession in Rawalpindi. PHOTO: MUHAMMAD JAVAID/EXPRESS
BAHAWALPUR/GUJRANWALA/MULTAN:
Peace maintained on Tuesday as mourners marked Hazrat Imam Hussain (ra)’s chehlum with 228 processions and 920 mourning sessions in 16 south Punjab districts.
Though security remained on high alert, mobile phone services in most cities of the province, including Multan, Vehari, Dera Ghazi Khan, Bahawalpur and Rahim Yar Khan, were not suspended.
The biggest mourning procession in Multan was attended by over 100,000 mourners. The procession started from Imam Bargah Haveli Mureed Shah in the Old City and passed through its 400 years old route to end at the same place by Isha prayers.
Over 9,000 police personnel and 14,000 volunteers were deputed for security duty. In Multan, two companies of the Pakistan Army gave patrol duty for 24 hours. As many as 900 hidden security cameras were installed in different districts of south Punjab.
Asghar Naqvi, president of the Mourning Processions License Holders Association in south Punjab, said that the government had portrayed the right picture of religious independence by providing adequate security to the mourners this year.
He also lauded the traffic police for their plans to keep procession routes free.
As many as 70 processions and 182 gatherings were organised in Bahawalpur district, including 13 in Bahawalpur city. Of these eight ended by maghrib prayers. The rest were in progress by the time this story was filed.
Regional Police Officer Shahid Hanif said that 22 SP and DSPs, 69 inspectors, 232 sub inspectors, 384 ASIs and 3,424 head constables and constables gave security duty along with 1,000 volunteers.
He said 86 CCTV cameras had been installed to monitor procession routes.
In Gujranwala district, main processions were organised in Gujranwala, Sialkot and Narowal amid tight security.
The biggest procession in Gujranwala was held at Nowsheran Virkan. It started from Imam Bargah Haider and passed through the city’s main bazaar to end at Khalil Chowk.
In Narowal, the procession started from the Imam Bargah Gulshan-i-Zahra. It passed through Chowk Hussain Bazaar and ended at Guli stan-i-Zahra.
The main procession in Sialkot started from Adda Pasrorian. Strict security arrangements were made at entry points. Mourners also performed zanjeerzani.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 25th, 2013.
Peace maintained on Tuesday as mourners marked Hazrat Imam Hussain (ra)’s chehlum with 228 processions and 920 mourning sessions in 16 south Punjab districts.
Though security remained on high alert, mobile phone services in most cities of the province, including Multan, Vehari, Dera Ghazi Khan, Bahawalpur and Rahim Yar Khan, were not suspended.
The biggest mourning procession in Multan was attended by over 100,000 mourners. The procession started from Imam Bargah Haveli Mureed Shah in the Old City and passed through its 400 years old route to end at the same place by Isha prayers.
Over 9,000 police personnel and 14,000 volunteers were deputed for security duty. In Multan, two companies of the Pakistan Army gave patrol duty for 24 hours. As many as 900 hidden security cameras were installed in different districts of south Punjab.
Asghar Naqvi, president of the Mourning Processions License Holders Association in south Punjab, said that the government had portrayed the right picture of religious independence by providing adequate security to the mourners this year.
He also lauded the traffic police for their plans to keep procession routes free.
As many as 70 processions and 182 gatherings were organised in Bahawalpur district, including 13 in Bahawalpur city. Of these eight ended by maghrib prayers. The rest were in progress by the time this story was filed.
Regional Police Officer Shahid Hanif said that 22 SP and DSPs, 69 inspectors, 232 sub inspectors, 384 ASIs and 3,424 head constables and constables gave security duty along with 1,000 volunteers.
He said 86 CCTV cameras had been installed to monitor procession routes.
In Gujranwala district, main processions were organised in Gujranwala, Sialkot and Narowal amid tight security.
The biggest procession in Gujranwala was held at Nowsheran Virkan. It started from Imam Bargah Haider and passed through the city’s main bazaar to end at Khalil Chowk.
In Narowal, the procession started from the Imam Bargah Gulshan-i-Zahra. It passed through Chowk Hussain Bazaar and ended at Guli stan-i-Zahra.
The main procession in Sialkot started from Adda Pasrorian. Strict security arrangements were made at entry points. Mourners also performed zanjeerzani.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 25th, 2013.