Rawalpindi:Under tight security arrangements, a total of 65 processions of ‘taazia’, ‘zuljinah’ and ‘alam’ will be taken out from different parts of the city on 'Ashura' today(Tuesday).
Police, special branch, and Rangers remained on duty all around the city to monitor the 9th and 10th Muharram processions. ‘Azadaars’ observed a total of 79 matmi processions and 205 Majalis on the 9th of Muharram on Monday.
Control Room regarding Ashura monitoring has been set up here in Municipal Corporation Rawalpindi (MCR). ‘Azadars’ would also attend 113 ‘majalis’ in different parts of the city on ‘Youm-e-Ashur’. Police have deployed over 6,000 security officials to control 65 'zuljinnah', 'taazia' and ‘alam’ processions on 'Ashura'.
The local administration has deployed 1000 traffic police officials to control the smooth flow of traffic on Ashura day. All kinds of traffic will be closed from Committee Chowk towards Iqbal Road on the 10th of Muharram.
According to a set programme, the main ‘zuljinah’ procession will be taken out from Imambargah by Colonel Maqbool Hussain at about 9 a.m. and culminate at Qadeemi Imambargah after 'Maghrib'. The distance of the main procession is 2 kilometres and it has 7 vulnerable points. The main ‘zuljinah’ procession will pass through its traditional route of Noorani Masjid, Teli Mohallah; Kalyan Wali Masjid, Iqbal Road near Chitti Hattian; Hanafia Masjid near Naya Mohallah; Fawara Chowk; Taleem-ul-Quran, Dingi Khoi Chowk; Hanafia Masjid, Purana Qila; and Jamia Masjid Road.
There will be joint processions at Imambargah Fazal Hussain, Imambargah Colonel Maqbool, Imambargah Baltistania, Imambargah Hefazat Ali Shah, Imambargah Yadgar-e-Hussain, Imambargah Shah Chan Chiragh, Imambargah Ashiq Hussain and Imambargah Qadeemi.
There are total of 113 flashpoints in which 39 points are in Category ‘A’ and 54 points are in Category ‘B’ while 19 points have been declared most sensitive in Rawalpindi. As many as 6,000 security personnel will be deployed in the district to ensure the security of ‘majalis’ and 'Ashura' processions. Aerial surveillance of 'Ashura' processions will be conducted to ensure the security of mourners.
“The district administration has installed 250 CCTV cameras, 44 walkthrough gates, and 3 jammers. It has also arranged 17 sniffer dogs to check suspected persons. Special checking of the route of the 'Ashura' processions will be completed before the start of the processions and clearance from the bomb disposal squad will also be sought prior to the start of the processions.
The mourners will be checked with metal detectors and walkthrough gates would be installed at the entry points. The routes of the main procession of 'Ashura' will be sealed completely and streets on the route of the processions will also be barricaded. Vehicles and motorbikes will not be allowed to move with the mourning processions.
On Youm-e-Ashur, traffic on DAV Road will be completely diverted from where all traffic entry towards College Road will be closed. Traffic entry will be restricted from DAV College Chowk to Fawara Chowk when the mourning procession will reach Naya Mohalla. The traffic officials have established several diversions to smooth the flow of traffic on Youm-e-Ashur.
There would be zero tolerance to show of arms, wall-chalking, and hate material and there would be a complete ban on hate speeches and unnecessary use of loudspeakers on 'Ashura'. All processions must conclude after ‘Maghrib’ prayers and there would be a full lighting system on all procession routes.