Commemorating the sacrifice: Muharram procession in capital ends peacefully
Ashura procession to begin from Col Maqbool Hussain Imambargah at 11:30am today
A view of the main procession at the Asna Ashri Imambargah in G-6 (top); while a boy gives out drinks to participants. PHOTOS: MUHAMMAD JAVAID, MUDASSAR RAJA/EXPRESS
MUZAFFARABAD/ISLAMABAD:
The ninth Muharram procession culminated peacefully in the capital on Friday amid tight security.
The main procession started from Markazi Imambarga Asna Ashri, G-6/2 around noon and culminated at the same point after passing through the designated route.
Thousands of mourners, including children and women, paid homage to Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) and his companions for their sacrifice in Karbala.
They also recited nohas and poems to commemorate the sacrifice. Quaid-e-Millat Jafaria Allama Syed Sajid Ali Naqvi led the procession.
Mourners from Rawalpindi and the capital’s outskirts like Bari Imam, Shah Allaha Ditta, Rawat, Tarnol and others parts of the city joined the main procession. Sabeels were also set up along the route of the procession to provide much-needed drinks to participants.
The capital holds its main procession on the ninth of Muharram, as the main Ashura procession is held in Rawalpindi on the tenth of Muharram.
Security arrangements
Islamabad Police claimed to have made extraordinary security arrangements during the procession. From the afternoon, mobile services around G-6 were jammed and remained so till the evening. Over 2,000 police officers were deputed during the procession assisted by troops of the Pakistan Rangers. All roads leading towards G-6/2 as well as the 7th Avenue were closed for traffic. Helicopter support, mobile jammers, and armoured personnel carriers remained present in order to assist law enforcers throughout the procession.
The procession route was cordoned off with tents; which led to incoming participants facing difficulty as they did not which route to take to enter the procession.
IGP Tahir Alam Khan, SSP (Operations) Sajid Kiani, Chief Commissioner Zulfiqar Haider and others officials visited the site to review the on-ground security situation.
A police spokesman said around 600 officials in civilian clothes were also on duty. All roads leading to the site of the procession were blocked but the Islamabad Traffic Police had made special arrangements to divert traffic to alternative routes.
Ashura in Rawalpindi
The city district government of Rawalpindi is said to have finalised security arrangements in the city for the Ashura procession, said SSP (Operations) Karamatullah Malik.
The official said the main Ashura procession will be taken out from the Col Maqbool Hussain Imambargah at 11:30am and will end at the Qadimi Imambargah at 11pm. According to the official, over 4,000 police officers will be deployed during the procession. According to the official, 450 CCTV cameras have been installed along the procession route. Additionally, army and rangers will be deployed in Rawalpindi to assist the police.
Similarly, officials of the special branch, CID, Special Investigation Unit and district security branch will be coordinating to avert any violent and tragic incident. Keeping in view the threat perception at each place and its topography, special deployments will be made on rooftops of buildings at important venues.
Mobile service will be suspended in Rawalpindi on Saturday (today).
Metro bus service suspended
The district administration on Friday also suspended the metro bus service in the twin cities, on the recommendations of intelligence agencies. Commissioner Rawalpindi Zahid Saeed said the bus service will remain closed till Sunday morning, after agencies pointed a security risk during the Ashura procession.
Bikes impounded
The City Traffic Police impounded more than 650 motorcycles in various police stations of the city over violation of pillion riding ban and fined the drivers.
Chief Traffic Officer SSP Shoaib Khurram Janbaz had ordered traffic wardens to launch a crackdown against violators of the pillion riding ban in the city following which wardens took action.
Preparations in AJK
Security has been put on high-alert across Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) in connection with Ashura.
The main Ashura procession will be taken out from the Centre Imambargh Pir Alm Shah Bukhari in Muzaffarabad. After passing through the Combined Military Hospital Road, the mourners will offer Zohr prayers at Upper Adda. The procession, after passing through its traditional route, will culminate at the imambargah.
Processions will also be taken out from Mirpur, Kotli, Haveli, Hattianbala and Sandooq, Neelum Valley.
Hundreds of policemen have been deployed around imambargahs while more than 20 CCTV cameras have been installed around the Centre Imambargah.
AJK IGP Malik Khuda Buksh Awan visited Rescue 1122 and other areas of the capital Muzaffarabad to monitor the security arrangements on Friday evening.
“My presence in the capital city is ample proof that we have given top priority to security on tenth of Muharram,” said Awan.
The IGP further said every van and passenger entering AJK is being searched at all entry and exit points to ensure proper security.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 24th, 2015.
The ninth Muharram procession culminated peacefully in the capital on Friday amid tight security.
The main procession started from Markazi Imambarga Asna Ashri, G-6/2 around noon and culminated at the same point after passing through the designated route.
Thousands of mourners, including children and women, paid homage to Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) and his companions for their sacrifice in Karbala.
They also recited nohas and poems to commemorate the sacrifice. Quaid-e-Millat Jafaria Allama Syed Sajid Ali Naqvi led the procession.
Mourners from Rawalpindi and the capital’s outskirts like Bari Imam, Shah Allaha Ditta, Rawat, Tarnol and others parts of the city joined the main procession. Sabeels were also set up along the route of the procession to provide much-needed drinks to participants.
The capital holds its main procession on the ninth of Muharram, as the main Ashura procession is held in Rawalpindi on the tenth of Muharram.
Security arrangements
Islamabad Police claimed to have made extraordinary security arrangements during the procession. From the afternoon, mobile services around G-6 were jammed and remained so till the evening. Over 2,000 police officers were deputed during the procession assisted by troops of the Pakistan Rangers. All roads leading towards G-6/2 as well as the 7th Avenue were closed for traffic. Helicopter support, mobile jammers, and armoured personnel carriers remained present in order to assist law enforcers throughout the procession.
The procession route was cordoned off with tents; which led to incoming participants facing difficulty as they did not which route to take to enter the procession.
IGP Tahir Alam Khan, SSP (Operations) Sajid Kiani, Chief Commissioner Zulfiqar Haider and others officials visited the site to review the on-ground security situation.
A police spokesman said around 600 officials in civilian clothes were also on duty. All roads leading to the site of the procession were blocked but the Islamabad Traffic Police had made special arrangements to divert traffic to alternative routes.
Ashura in Rawalpindi
The city district government of Rawalpindi is said to have finalised security arrangements in the city for the Ashura procession, said SSP (Operations) Karamatullah Malik.
The official said the main Ashura procession will be taken out from the Col Maqbool Hussain Imambargah at 11:30am and will end at the Qadimi Imambargah at 11pm. According to the official, over 4,000 police officers will be deployed during the procession. According to the official, 450 CCTV cameras have been installed along the procession route. Additionally, army and rangers will be deployed in Rawalpindi to assist the police.
Similarly, officials of the special branch, CID, Special Investigation Unit and district security branch will be coordinating to avert any violent and tragic incident. Keeping in view the threat perception at each place and its topography, special deployments will be made on rooftops of buildings at important venues.
Mobile service will be suspended in Rawalpindi on Saturday (today).
Metro bus service suspended
The district administration on Friday also suspended the metro bus service in the twin cities, on the recommendations of intelligence agencies. Commissioner Rawalpindi Zahid Saeed said the bus service will remain closed till Sunday morning, after agencies pointed a security risk during the Ashura procession.
Bikes impounded
The City Traffic Police impounded more than 650 motorcycles in various police stations of the city over violation of pillion riding ban and fined the drivers.
Chief Traffic Officer SSP Shoaib Khurram Janbaz had ordered traffic wardens to launch a crackdown against violators of the pillion riding ban in the city following which wardens took action.
Preparations in AJK
Security has been put on high-alert across Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) in connection with Ashura.
The main Ashura procession will be taken out from the Centre Imambargh Pir Alm Shah Bukhari in Muzaffarabad. After passing through the Combined Military Hospital Road, the mourners will offer Zohr prayers at Upper Adda. The procession, after passing through its traditional route, will culminate at the imambargah.
Processions will also be taken out from Mirpur, Kotli, Haveli, Hattianbala and Sandooq, Neelum Valley.
Hundreds of policemen have been deployed around imambargahs while more than 20 CCTV cameras have been installed around the Centre Imambargah.
AJK IGP Malik Khuda Buksh Awan visited Rescue 1122 and other areas of the capital Muzaffarabad to monitor the security arrangements on Friday evening.
“My presence in the capital city is ample proof that we have given top priority to security on tenth of Muharram,” said Awan.
The IGP further said every van and passenger entering AJK is being searched at all entry and exit points to ensure proper security.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 24th, 2015.