Lahore,Islamabad,Karachi(National Times)- The country is observing Muharram 9 amid tight security arrangements to commemorate the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) and his companions in the Battle of Karbala in 680 AD.
The central procession in Islamabad for the day was taken out after Zuhr prayers from Markazi Imambargah Asna-e-Ashari in G-6. The gathering will culminate at the same place by night after passing through its designated route.
The main procession in Karachi departed from Nishtar Park at around 1:30pm and will conclude at Imambargah Hussainia Iranian. As of 3pm, it reached Imambargah Ali Raza, where the participants were performing Namaz-i-Zohrain.
In Hyderabad, the main procession set off from Imambargah Chahardah Masoomeen in Latifabad in the afternoon. Organised by Anjuman Guldasta-i-Akbar, the gathering would culminate at the same imambargah in the evening.
Meanwhile, the central procession was taken out from Islampura in Lahore. State broadcaster PTV News reported that a total of 81 processions and 386 religious gatherings were being held in the Punjab capital.
In Peshawar, the central mourning procession was taken out from Imambargah Hussainia Hall at around 10am.
State minister reviews security arrangements
Security arrangements and traffic plans have been made for the day.
State broadcaster PTV News reported that Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry chaired a meeting today to review security arrangements for Muharram.
It reported that home secretaries and police officials from all provinces, as well as Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir attended the meeting, where arrangements for Muharram were comprehensively reviewed and a briefing was given on security arrangements for mourning processions and religious gatherings.
Chaudhry said during the meeting that protecting the lives and properties of citizens was the government’s top priority.
According to PTV News, home secretaries and law enforcement agencies were directed to make security arrangements more effective.
Sindh
4 die due to ‘suffocation’ in Rohri
In Sukkur’s Rohri city, four people lost their lives due to suffocation and 14 were “lightly injured”, according to Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar.
Lanjar confirmed the casualties while speaking to the media after visiting the main “Nau Dhala” procession, a statement by his ministry said.
He ordered that “complete coordination” be maintained among the police, rescue and medical teams, and the district administration to deal with any emergency.
Accompanied by Sindh Assembly Speaker Awais Qadir Shah, the minister reviewed the security measures at the procession and affirmed that there was “100 per cent government writ in the katcha areas”.
While Lanjar asserted that there was “no such area where the government’s writ was not present”, he acknowledged there were some “criminals” present against whom an operation was underway.
The minister warned that no negligence will be tolerated and issued directives for effective searching and snap-checking. He said all resources should be utilised for maintaining law and order and ensuring the protection of mourners.
Earlier in the day, the minister had conducted an aerial review of the security arrangements made for Muharram 9.
Karachi
In Karachi, the traffic police devised a plan for alternative routes for commuters as some roads were to remain closed for the 9th and 10th Muharram processions.
According to a press release issued by the Karachi deputy inspector general’s (DIG) office, the city’s M.A. Jinnah Road will be closed to traffic from Gurumandir to Tower. It further said that the road from Jamshed Road to Gurumandir and Bahadur Yar Jang Road was to be closed from 10:30am to 1:30pm on Muharram 9.
Traffic police also shared in an X post alternative routes for commuters to reach their destinations.
Separately, Karachi police said in a statement that 20,181 police personnel, including 1,329 from traffic police, had been deployed across the city on Muharram 9.
Among them, 6,843 had been assigned security for the main procession, the statement said, adding that additional police force, reserve force personnel and snipers had also been deployed along the route of the central procession.
Islamabad
Authorities in Islamabad have also issued a traffic diversion plan, PTV News reported, adding that it would remain in place till the central procession’s conclusion. The state broadcaster also shared the plan in a post on X.
Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry, along with Islamabad Inspector General of Police (IG) Syed Nasir Rizvi and other officials, visited the main procession to review the security measures.
Chaudhry said Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi was “personally monitoring the security arrangements for Muharram processions across the country from the main control room.
As the procession began, IG Rizvi told the media outside Markazi Imambargah Asna-e-Ashari that the overall security situation in the country, particularly the capital, has improved significantly.
However, he added that security arrangements for Muharram had been underway for the past one and a half months.
Around 16,000 personnel have been assigned security duties, with police, Rangers and the army deployed.
Security arrangements have been made in five layers, with containers placed to block routes, scanners installed at procession entrances and control rooms established. Contingents of Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC) have been stationed as well in case of any emergency.
The route of the procession was being cleared by a modern bomb disposal squad. Female police and volunteers have been deployed to conduct checks of women attending processions.
Under the security plan for Islamabad, Muharram processions and gatherings were being monitored digitally by drones while geo-tagging of all imambargahs, majalis venues and procession routes has been completed.
Authorities have also launched a special mobile application, ‘Mehfooz Muharram’, using which citizens can report any suspicious activity or individuals or inadequate security arrangements. The app also has live location sharing and image sharing features.
Meanwhile, a central control room has been established at Safe City and a “four-tier security cordon” was to be implemented to ensure the protection of Muharram processions and gatherings.
Punjab
According to PTV News, more than 70,000 personnel have been deployed for security across Punjab on Muharram 9.
It reported that Punjab IG Rao Abdul Kareem had instructed officials to ensure the implementation of Section 144.
Moreover, the report said, snipers had been deployed on buildings along the processions’ routes while personnel in plain clothes were also providing security to the processions.
Under the security plan for Punjab, over 152,000 police personnel are deployed for security throughout Muharram and the army and Rangers have also been requisitioned for the purpose.
Last week, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz had issued directives for the implementation of a three-tier security plan for Muharram.
She also appealed to the organisers of religious gatherings to immediately download and activate QR-coded panic buttons installed at 4,700 Imambargahs across the province.
The CM was informed during a meeting last week that 47,280 religious gatherings and processions would be held across Punjab during Muharram, including 37,868 majalis and 9,412 processions.
The Punjab Safe Cities Authority would carry out live digital monitoring of Muharram processions, the officials informed the CM, adding that 5,623 CCTV cameras had been activated across the province, while 1,040 body cameras and modern drones would be deployed for field surveillance. She was further informed that over 1,000 advanced 4G event cameras had also been installed at highly sensitive locations.
KP
In Peshawar, police chalked out a plan to deploy 12,000 personnel in the city for security during Muharram processions. It also shared a traffic plan and alternative routes for the day.
KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi visited Naeem Shah Chowk to review the security arrangements, which he praised. He called for the people to set aside their political affiliations and stand united for peace.
Kundi also visited a central control room established at the Supreme Command Post and a command room at the Police Lines.
Briefing the governor, Peshawar Deputy Commissioner Sanaullah said almost 90 per cent of the processions were being held in the Walled City.
A statement by police said that personnel from the city police, rapid response force, quick response force, ladies traffic police and bomb disposal units were set to be deployed for security in Muharram.
It added that three-layered security would be provided to all mourning processions, while gun points would be set up at high-rise buildings along the procession routes. In addition to this, 1,000 traffic personnel would also be deployed to ensure the smooth flow of traffic across the city.
Similarly, bomb disposal units and sniffer dogs were to be deployed to sweep imambargahs, majalis and procession routes, the statement said, adding that personnel in plain clothes had also been deployed at sensitive locations and places of worship across the city.
Last week, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa IG Zulfiqar Hameed also directed police officials to enhance daily coordination with district administrations and peace committees at the district level to prevent any unpleasant incident during Muharram.
Separately, a statement by police said Muharram processions and religious gatherings on Ashura would be monitored through the Safe City camera network in Peshawar.
It further stated that 43,317 police personnel would be deployed across the province to perform security duties during Muharram and Section 144 had been enforced in various districts of KP.
The statement said that out of 614 imambargahs across the province, 127 had been declared highly sensitive, 262 sensitive and 225 normal and that a total of 907 Muharram processions were expected to be taken out across the province, with 286 being highly sensitive, 190 sensitive and 431 normal.
On Wednesday, the Peshawar Transport Department also announced suspension of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) on the 9th and 10th of Muharram as part of security measures.
