KARACHI – Under the watchful eye of thousands of law enforcement agencies’ personnel, the commemoration of Ashura in Karachi concluded on a peaceful note.
Several small processions from various parts of the city convened at the Nishtar Park to join the main Ashura procession, and around 10 am, the procession started moving forward along its designated route, and ended peacefully at the Imambargah Hussainian Iranian in Kharadar Police and other law enforcement agencies provided full security to the procession.
Rangers and police personnel had taken special security measures, and set up entry points where all participants of the procession were frisked physically as well as with detectors. Streets and alleys leading to the procession route were sealed to prohibit entry of irrelevant people, while only vehicles bearing stickers issued by the government were allowed on the procession route.
However, pedestrians were allowed to walk along the route, despite the threat of suicide bombings. Strict security measures included deploying 6,000 policemen along the route of the main procession with personnel of Rangers, Special Branch, allied forces commandos, Bomb Disposal Squad and other agencies.
Various organisations, including Pakistan People’s Party, Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Jafaria Alliance Pakistan (JAP) and Imamia Students Organisation (ISO), set up medical camps and water stalls (Sabeel) along the procession route. Ten thousand scouts from the JAP, ISO, Scout Rabita Council, Shia Ulema Council and Imamia Scouts were deployed, and volunteers also took part to ensure security of the mourners.
Around 80 security cameras were installed and linked to the City District Government Karachi (CDGK)’s Command and Control System for surveillance of the Ashura procession for authorities to keep an eye on suspicious people. The CDGK also made other necessary arrangements, including uninterrupted power supply, to facilitate the mourners through the procession.
After the Markazi Majlis ended, the procession moved from Nishtar Park to the Imambargah Hussainian Iranian via Sir Shah Nawaz Bhutto Road, Father Jaminis Road, Mehfil-e-Shah-e-Khurasan and MA Jinnah Road, where the mourners offered Zohrain prayers organised by the ISO. After the prayers, the mourners staged a protest demonstration against the slow investigation of the bomb blast that killed 45 people last year during the Ashura procession.
