Muharram 9 processions taken out amid tight security

PESHAWAR: Cellular phone services remained partially suspended as part of enhanced security arrangements for 9th of Muharram in the provincial capital on Monday.

The inner city remained sealed while Saddar Road was also sealed from early Monday morning.

The 9th of Muharram procession was brought out from Hussainia Hall Imambargah amid tight security that peacefully ended on the Saddar Road.

“The route has been swept by the bomb disposal unit and the Canine Unit while the security was upgraded for the procession of the 9th of Muharram,” Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Operations Zahoor Afridi told reporters.

Apart from closed-circuit television cameras, the processions were monitored through drone cameras.

Cellular phone services in many areas remained jammed. The officials said the cellular phone services in Peshawar and some other districts would be suspended on Tuesday.

An official said police have set up 64 entry points in the city where 268 policemen have been deployed.

Besides, barricades were erected at 565 points in the provincial capital to check suspicious people. The official continued that 42 gun points were also set up in the provincial capital.

Senior police officials visited routes of the processions and inspected the security arrangements outside the imambargahs.

Around 12000 policemen have been deployed in the provincial capital under a comprehensive security plan for Muharram.

The entry points to the district, especially the urban areas were strengthened and closed-circuit cameras installed at several places to monitor any suspicious activity. The 9th of Muharram processions were taken out in others parts of the province as well. These ended peacefully after passing through the traditional routes.

HARIPUR: The Alam and Zuljanah procession of 9th of Muharram was taken out from Imambargah Imamia Sajjadia Mohalla Motian. It ended at Imambargah Qadeemia Mohalla Chowki police.

Walk-through gates were installed for screening of participants including the mourners and the surveillance of the procession was carried out through video recording and CCTV cameras installed especially for this purpose.

The Haripur administration had sealed the main bazaar and the link roads on Sunday evening and the mobile service was suspended during the procession timing which was later restored.

Regional Police Officer Muhammad Ali Babakhel, Hazara Commissioner Syed Zaheerul Islam, DPO Zahidullah Jan and Deputy Commissioner Arifullah Awan visited and reviewed the security arrangements of procession route.