Amid tight security arrangements, hundreds of mourners peacefully staged the Muharram 9 processions in different areas of Karachi on Monday. The rallies culminated at their final destination, the Iranian Hussainian Imambargah in Kharadar, where glowing tributes were paid to Imam Hussain (AS) and his family. Several processions were arranged in different parts of the metropolitan that merged with the central procession at Numaish Chowrangi, with law enforcers on the alert. The central procession marched from the Markazi Imambargah in Liaquatabad on Monday morning to the Martin Road Imambargah and later headed to the Nishtar Park. Around noon, the procession headed from the Nishtar Park to the Iranian Hussainian Imambargah in Kharadar via the Sir Shahnawaz Bhutto Road, the Mehfil-e-Shah-e-Khurasan, the MA Jinnah Road, the Mansfield Street, the Preedy Street, the MA Jinnah Road again, the Boulton Market, the Bombay Bazaar and then the Nawab Mahabat Khanjee Road.
When they reached Kharadar, the mourners lit candles in remembrance of the martyrs of the Ashura blast that had taken place in December 2009. Police sealed off all routes leading to and from the MA Jinnah Road with large containers, whereas shops along the routes of processions – including Numaish Chowrangi, Saddar, Tibet Centre, Light House and Boulton Market – have also been closed.
Considering the looming threat of terrorism, law enforcement agencies have beefed up security for the Ashura processions in the metropolis. All roads linking to the MA Jinnah Road have been declared no-entry zones, whereas all shopping plazas and shops along the processions routes have been sealed off.
A large number of policemen and Rangers personnel have been deployed for security on rooftops along the procession routes.
Moreover, walkthrough gates and other search devices are also being employed to search the participants of the processions.
Entry of all kinds of vehicles, except those being used by the law enforcers, along the procession routes has been banned.
However, trucks carrying sabeel and ambulances are allowed to move along the procession routes, but only after verification of their official permits and a thorough search.
Besides policemen and Rangers personnel for security of the participants of the processions, bomb disposal units would be moving ahead of the processions scanning for any suspicious materials.
COMMAND AND CONTROL CELL: Foolproof security arrangements have been made for the Ashura processions in the city, said Karachi Commissioner Roshan Ali Sheikh after visiting the procession routes on Monday.
He said all the procession routes are being monitored using state-of-the-art cameras and technology; however, surveillance vehicles would also be moving with the processions.
The commissioner has taken charge of the Command and Control Centre to monitor the procession routes through security cameras.
He told the media that 65 percent of the metropolitan is being monitored using cameras, whereas the Command and Control Centre’s units at the Civic Centre, Police Headquarters and Nishtar Park are keeping a vigilant eye on every single movement along the procession routes.
Lauding the effectiveness of the commissionerate system, Sheikh said the government machinery is performing in a well-planned manner and the new administration is in close coordination with ulema belonging to different sects.
