Time of year: Ashura processions, majalis held under tight security

15,000 participate in Aza Khana Pando Street mourning procession.

LAHORE:

The city remained on high alert on Monday as mourning processions were taken out and several majalis were held to mark the ninth of Muharram.

The main roads and traffic arteries leading to the routes of Ashura processions were blocked with barricades and barbed wire.

Snipers were posted on roofs of high-rise buildings along the routes. Helicopters were also used to monitor the routes.

Around 200 Elite Force personnel were on duty on Monday and the Mujahid Squad personnel patrolled the city.

Security wing SP Malik Liaqat told The Express Tribune that Quick Response Force (QRF), the Elite Force and other police personnel were deployed in the city.

“The ban on pillion riding is being enforced strictly. We have arrested dozens of young men for flouting the ban. Families are exempt from the ban,” Liaqat said.

Muharram processions

To commemorate the sacrifices of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA), his family and companions, the central procession (Alam and Zuljinah) on 9th Muharram was taken out from Aza Khana Pando Street, Krishan Nagar.

The procession reached Khaima Saadat after passing through Inder Street, Dyal Street, Guru Tegh Bahadur Road, Main Bazaar Krishen Nagar, Secretariat Chowk, Church Road, Nabha Road, Edward Road and Old Anarkali.

After a majlis at the Khaima Saadat, the procession returned by the same route. All the streets opening on the main route of the procession were closed for general traffic. The participants were frisked at three checkpoints and passed through security scanners.

Processions were also taken out from Imam Bargah Qasr-i-Batool in Shadman and from Nicholson road.

Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Capt (retd) Amin Wains said that 15,000 people had participated in the Aza Khana Pando Street procession.

“Around 900 policemen were deployed for security. We had installed 64 CCTV cameras. Four sniffer dog teams also patrolled the route. There were a total of 14 entry points to the procession, where we had set up walkthrough gates,” he said.

The CCPO said that the use of loudspeakers at mosques around the city had been banned. “Duty officers at police stations have been instructed to lock the loudspeakers and keep the keys with them until 11th of Muharram. The loudspeakers can only be used for azaan,” he said.

Around 3,000 policemen will be deployed for the 10th of Muharram procession, taken out from Nisar Haveli.

The procession will pass through Chowk Nawab Sahab, Mohallah Shiaan, Mohallah Gillanian, Chohatta Mufti Baqir, Purani Kotwali, Dabbi Bazaar, Rang Mehal Chowk, Suha Bazaar, Gumti Bazaar, Bazaar Hakeeman, Tehsil Bazaar, Bhati Bazaar and Bhati Chowk. It will end at Karbala Gamay Shah.

The route of the procession has been divided into 12 sectors.

Police said that four-tier security would be provided to the processions. “We will use portable jammers to protect Muharram processions and majalis from remote-controlled explosive devices,” police said.

Monitoring rooms have been set up at the CCPO’s office, DIG’s office and the DCO’s office.

Total majalis

SP Security Malik Liaqat said that 8,536 majalis were being held in the city. “There are 3,000 other majalis who have not obtained permission from authorities,” he said.

Liaqat said that there were 22,000 policemen in the city. “If we add the reserves and investigation policemen, the total number of policemen at our disposal is around 32,000,” he said.

He said that all the policemen had been deployed to protect the majalis and the processions.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 4^th, 2014.