Youm-e-Ashur to be observed with religious reverence, solemnity

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government prepared all arrangements for the peaceful observance of Youm-e-Ashur across the province where sizeable alm and zuljinnah processions would be taken out on Friday.

The azadars will pay glowing tributes to matchless sacrifices offered by Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) and his companions for the supremacy of Islam.

In KP, small and large processions would be taken out in almost all districts including recently merged tribal districts where speakers would highlight matchless sacrifices of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) and his companions for supremacy of Islam in the sizzling heat of Karbala.

Five districts including Peshawar, DI Khan, Hangu, Tank and Kohat districts have been declared highly sensitive where all central mourning processions would be monitored through helicopters.

Big congregations and processions would also be brought out at Nowshera, Haripur, Manshera, Parachinar, Kuram, Orakzai and others districts.

The azadars would pass through their prescribed routes and processions will culminate their prescribed places.

In Peshawar, small and big processions would appear from Imambargahs Akhunabad, Agha Syed Mir Haider Shah, Alamdar-e-Karbala, Syed Mustafa Shah Rizvi, Syed Ali Qami, Qadeemi Patharwala, Bahar Ali Kayani, Puran Wali and Mai Malangri.

Processions would later join the central procession of Imambargah Agha Syed Alam Shah. The azadars would pass through different routes amid flagellations and chests beating and will culminate at their prescribed places.

Processions of Imambargah Hussainia Hall, Garhi Saidan, Hussainabad Tehkhaney Wala, Aal Saadat and Imambargah Faiz Panjtan would also join the main procession. Later, Sham-e-Ghariban’ would be held at Imambargahs after completion of processions.

Around 118 small and big Alm and Zuljinah processions would be brought out from 71 imambargahs during Ashura Muharram in Peshawar.

IGP SATISFIED WITH ARRANGEMENTS:

KP Inspector General of Police IGP Salahuddin Khan Mehsood visited the Imambargah situated in Peshawar Saddar to review the security arrangements for the observance of Muharram.

The IGP visited different sections of the Imambargah and reviewed in detail the security steps taken by the police. Peshawar Capital City Police chief Qazi Jami-Ur-Rehman and Peshawar SSP Operations briefed the IGP about the security managements and live monitoring of the processions through CCTV installed in various parts of the city.

The IGP expressed satisfaction over the steps taken by the police and issued necessary instructions to the police high ups responsible for the safekeeping of the community.

More than 32,000 policemen besides other law enforcement agencies including Frontier Constabulary have been deployed for protection of 460 mourning processions and 2,643 gatherings to be taken out from 266 Imambargahs in KP during Ashura Muharram.

Talking to the media, the IGP pointed out that robust coordination between the KP police, Pakistan Army, Frontier Corps, Frontier Constabulary, civil administration and intelligence agencies existed, and joint search and strike operations were being carried out on intelligence based information.

Quick Response Force (QRF), Elite Force, FC and other law enforcing agencies are assisting police to avert any untoward incident during Ashura Muharram.

The administration has arranged water tanks and milk (Sabeels) and other services across the routes of the processions. Police snipers in high buildings, CCTV cameras and policemen at plainclothes would be deployed on processions routes to avert any untoward incidents.

All those areas from where processions would pass through have been sealed and movements of unwanted elements were restricted.

The police have set up a command post in Kohati Gate in Peshawar and deployed officers to monitor processions. The Health Department has also setup a control room to provide quick treatment facilities in case of any untoward situation.

KP police have requested has requested for shutting down of cellular phone services on Ashura Muharram especially in most sensitive and sensitive districts for security and law and order situation.

Afghan refugees have been restricted to their camps and hotels and inns located on procession routes were vacated by passengers.