The Gilgit district administration has banned nine clerics from entering the territory during the sacred month of Muharram. According to details, the move was made in an attempt to assure the maintenance of law and order.
The news was initially reported by local Gilgit newspaper ‘The Pamir Times.’ Meanwhile, local police have tightened security measures as the holy month approaches the country.
Three members of the banned sectarian outfit Ahle Sunnat wal Jammat, Ahmad Ludhianvi Aurangzeb Farooqi, and Azam Muaviya have been barred from entering Gilgit.
Meanwhile, Raja Nasir Abbas, Sheikh Ejaz Baltistani and Amin Shaheedi of the Shiite Majlis Majlis Wahdat-e Muslimeen have also been refused entry into the region in the month of Muharram.
Other than these six clerics, Syed Sajid Ali Naqvi and Arif Wahidi of the Islami Tehreek as well as Ilyas Ghumman of the MDM have all been similarly sanctioned.
According to notifications, the seasonal bans have been implemented under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) law.
The clerics in question are all controversial personalities and their presence in the area could cause sectarian tension and antagonism. It is pertinent to note that the banned clerics are from both sects so that religious leaders may not be able to manipulate public sentiment at sensitive times such as Muharram.
The move comes as part of a general tightening of security measures in preparation for Muharram. Security measures in the Gilgit area have been particularly tough given the area’s history of sectarian violence.
Just recently, local police apprehended ten suspects including six absconders from Diamer and Gilgit districts as part of enhanced security measures.
The ten suspects were later handed over by the Gilgit and Diamer police to the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD).
Gilgit SSP Mansoor ul Haq had back then gone on to say that police officers of all districts had been asked to increase their vigilance in sensitive religious areas. He added that Gilgit is sensitive in sectarian matters, and that the collection of data regarding non-locals in the area was already underway.
This now becomes the second year in a row where the district administration of Gilgit has banned certain clerics from entry into the area during Muharram. Last year, five such men had been banned out of which three have maintained their status of seasonal banishment. Last year’s list had included the ASWJ’s Ahmed Ludhianvi, Molana Masoor-ur-Rehman Osmani, Aurangzeb Faooqi, Molana Asif Osman and the MWM’s Allama Nayer Abbas.