The holy month of Muharram comes every year and the interior ministry holds high level meetings before the commencement of this month at each tier of their command. The ministry and law enforcement agencies then assure the nation that fool proof security arrangements have been made to stall any untoward incident. But every year we find the bloodshed either on their Majalis or in the Ashura processions. This shows a clear security lapse on the part of law enforcement agencies. It happens either due to the incompetence of the security people deployed in those areas or the miscreants being smarter than our security/intelligence agencies.
This year an unfortunate incident has happened on the very first day of Muharram in Karachi near Numaish Chowrangi. Apparently, this was due to the irresponsible conduct of the local government who allowed to hold meetings by two opposing sects in the same area and on the same day out of which one was a banned organisation. Some heads in the Sindh government should have rolled. But sacking for incompetence or resigning on failure of good governance is not in vogue in Pakistan; instead, the responsible person of such failure is given a better job. Appointment of Sardar Latif Khosa first as Attorney General and then as Governor of Punjab is one such example.
To ensure fool proof security, the government should set rules of the game in clear terms and ensure its implementation. The places to hold Majalis should be specified and at no other place such gatherings be allowed. These places should be well secured and each person attending should be frisked properly. Nobody should be allowed to bring his vehicle near that place. The debussing point should be well away from the Majalis building.
The old, invalid and ladies may be brought to the building in the government transport. Similarly, on Ashura day the procession routes should not pass through any congested areas. Only the specified route should be strictly followed and the procession route should be as properly protected as is being done for the VVIP movements.
The bloodshed in one particular religious group leads to another bloodshed in the rival group and the chain continues thereby we becoming a laughing stock in the eyes of the non-Muslim world, ie Muslims killing Muslims in the same country. I hope the government would be serious for a change this year and ensures that there is no bloodshed during this Muharram.
MUHAMMAD AZHARKHWAJA
Lahore
