KARACHI: Sindh government has approached relevant authorities for a partial ban on mobile services along the routes of processions on Muharram 9-10 while also putting a ban on pillion riding.
Sindh Home Department Secretary Abdul Kadir Qazi identified 245 locations in the city where cellular services would be jammed.
As many as 69,545 police personnel will perform security duties across the province including 17,558 in Karachi, 16,816 in Hyderabad, 2,237 in Mirpurkhas, 9,280 in Shaheed Benazirabad, 8,258 in Sukkar and 15,404 in Larkana, reads a contingency plan prepared by AIG Operations Sindh for Muharram.
In Karachi, MA Jinnah Road has been sealed with containers and other barriers and would remain unavailable for routine traffic Muharram 9 -10. Roads joining Saddar Regal Chowk, corridor-3 to Saddar Dawa Khana have also been sealed for traffic.
Security has been beefed up and the police have sealed shops and blocked roads with containers.
The Sindh government has also declared September 9 and 10 (Monday and Tuesday).
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Hyderabad district Adeel Hussain Chandio has said some 218 mourning processions and majalis have been declared as being potential targets for terrorist activity in Hyderabad.
He added over 4,000 policemen along with Rangers personnel would be deployed for security on Muharram 10. A unit of Pakistan Army would also be in a standby position.
He said although there was no specific threat of a terrorist attack in Hyderabad but security officials were still ensuring stringent security to prevent any incident.