Ban on pillion riding, cellphone services suspended for Muharram, says home dept

Dept secretary also asks armed forces to remain on high alert from Muharram 8 to 10.

KARACHI/HYDERABAD: The provincial home department decided on Wednesday to impose a ban on pillion riding and suspend cellphone services from Muharram 8 to 10, while also requesting the armed forces to remain on high alert.

The decisions were taken at the meeting chaired by home secretary Dr Niaz Ali Abbasi and attended by home, police and intelligence officials as well as religious scholars. "There are severe security threats," said Dr Abbasi, briefing the media. "Terrorists may target the Muharram processions, religious scholars and imambargahs."

The meeting also decided to restrict the district-level movement of 143 religious leaders and orators in the province while also banning the display of weapons completely.

"A code of conduct has been devised for Muharram under which we have also imposed a prohibition on hate speeches pertaining to religious identity," said Dr Abbasi. "We have also asked the police and other law enforcement agencies to keep a close eye on those who are involved in wall chalkings and graffiti on different religious sects." He added that they would request the federal government to suspend mobile services for at least three days.

During the meeting, the special branch of the police department was also asked to prepare a list of religious leaders and share it with police stations and senior officials.

Police's preparations

Karachi AIG Ghulam Qadir Thebo said that the police department will deploy 13,000 cops in Karachi from the first day of Muharram, increasing the number to 15,000 policemen from Muharram 8 to 10. He further claimed that the processions will be monitored through CCTV cameras.

Sindh IGP Ghulam Hyder Jamali also cancelled the leaves of all policemen ahead of the month of Muharram during a meeting at his office on Wednesday. "A station-level security plan should be made for each police station, making the relevant station responsible for listing the majalis and processions taking place within its jurisdiction and providing proper security for them," he said, adding that surveillance cameras should also be installed at the venues for the majalis and processions. "Shia-dominated areas should be marked and police commandos deployed there to ensure security."

Jamali further ordered the police to implement regulations regarding the use of loudspeakers, to remove hate graffiti from walls across the city and to take strict action against those involved in selling hate literature and videos.

He told the police department to conduct a survey of the buildings located on the routes leading to the main processions and to deploy snipers on them.

Hyderabad's security

The Hyderabad region police have declared around 150 places in different districts as 'sensitive' for the upcoming month of Muharram. Over 18,800 policemen will be deployed to ensure security in the region, along with over 1,700 others from the reserve force.

Hyderabad DIG Dr Sanaullah Abbasi convened a meeting with the representatives of Shia organisations at his office on Wednesday, where he announced that 2,600 policemen will be on duty at the 450 imambargahs in the region.

Dr Abbasi added that CCTV cameras will be installed at 200 locations and 15 control rooms set up, with 319 buildings pinpointed for snipers and police commandos. Bomb disposal squads have also been directed to clear the routes of all processions as well as majalis venues.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 23^rd, 2014.