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Thursday March 28, 2024

Stringent security measures adopted for Muharram 9, 10 processions

By Khalid Iqbal
September 30, 2017

Rawalpindi :As many as 319 gatherings (Majalis) and 144 registered (licensed) processions will be held in Rawalpindi on the 9th and 10th of Muharram. The security agencies have declared 109 trouble spots (flash points) and 125 sensitive points in Rawalpindi on 9th and 10th of Muharram.

More than 6,000 personnel of law enforcement agencies including policemen, Rangers, FC, army and special branch will provide security cover to processions of 9th and ‘Ashura’. A total of 144 processions of ‘taazia’, ‘zuljinnah’ and ‘alam’ will be taken out from different parts of the city.

According to Rawalpindi commissioner’s office (general branch) and police security branch, total 79 processions and 206 gatherings (Majalis) will appear on 9th of Muharram while 65 processions and 113 gatherings (Majalis) on ‘Youm-e-Ashur’. The local management and security agencies have divided these processions and gatherings category wise.

Total 79 processions will be appear on 9th in which 6 processions have been placed in category A, 18 processions in category B and 55 processions in category C while in total there will be total 206 gatherings (Majalis) in which 24 in category A, 36 in category B and 146 gatherings in category C.

Similarly, total 65 processions will be appeared on 10th in which 16 processions in category A, 8 processions in category B while 41 processions in category C while there will be total 113 gatherings (Majalis) on 10th in which 12 in category A, 15 gatherings in category B and 86 gatherings in category C. 

The law enforcement agencies have been declared 63 troubled areas in category A, 46 in category B while declared 25 points most sensitive.

Deputy Commissioner (Rawalpindi) Talat Gondal said that they were continuously visiting all procession routes to check security arrangements. “Public should cooperate with security agencies to avoid any untoward incident,” he appealed. He also said that all assistant commissioners and other staff including health department staff, Rescue 1122 staff, Civil Defence staff etc. will present at all points of Rawalpindi.

On the 9th, the mourning procession will leave from different imambargahs and end at Imambargah Colonel (r) Maqbool Imambarga after passing through traditional routes.

On the 10th of Muharram, the mourning processions will leave from Saeen Sadiq Ali Shah Imambargah at Sadiqabad passing through its traditional routes of Shaheen Chowk, Committee Chowk, Fawara Chowk to reach Imambargah Colonel (r) Maqbool to culminate here at Qadeemi Imambargah after Magrib.

The local management with the help of police will close all ways leading towards procession routes for traffic. The security officials will close ways of Committee Chowk, College Road, Raja Bazaar, Banni, Jamia Masjid Road, Iqbal Road and Gawalmandi Road with big containers on Ashura day. Motorists and pedestrians could move here at Benazir Bhutto Road through Rawal Road on the occasion.

All big and small processions will start appearing at early morning to join the main ‘Ashura’ procession, which will be taken out at about 8:30 a.m. and will pass through College Road, Bashir Hussain Road, Fawara Chowk, Dingi Khoi Chowk, Bansawala Chowk, Jamia Masjid Road, Trunk Bazaar, Bhabra Bazaar, Banni, Kartarpura and Dalgaran Bazaar before culminating at Imambargah Qadeemi.

Some of ‘Tazia’ and ‘zuljinnah’ processions will also be taken out at about 8:30 a.m. from different Imambargahs including Abbass Ali to Naya Mohallah Chowk before joining the main procession and proceed to Imambargah Qadeemi. Another procession will be taken out from the Imambargah Sadaat Pindora to Madina Chowk before returning to the Imambargah Qadeemi. Another procession will be taken out from Sain Sadiq’s house and will proceed to Transformer Chowk then onwards to Chirah Chowk, moving through Chah Sultan on to Zafarul Haq Road, Murree Road before culminating at Imambargah Qadeemi. A procession will be taken out at midnight from Imambargah Qaser-e-Abbas to main road in Dheri Hassanabad to reach here at Imambargah Colonel Maqbool.

According to set schedule, the main ‘zuljinnah’ procession will be taken out from Saee Sadiq Ali Shah Imambarga near Sadiqabad to Imambargah 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 ‘zuljinnah’ procession will pass through its traditional route of Noorani Masjid, Teli Mohallah; Kalya 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.

The city district government, Rawalpindi, has banned pillion-riding in the city on 9th and 10th of Muharram to ensure foolproof security of mourning processions and other congregations. Strict checking of vehicles would also be made at entry and exist points of the city.

Meanwhile, processions of 8th Muharram from Pirwdahi, Ratta Amral, Banni, New Town, Sadiqabad, Airport, RA Bazaar and Race Course in Rawalpindi culminated peacefully at their designated points on Friday.