Rangers chief urges compliance with SOPs in Muharram processions

Sindh Rangers chief Maj Gen Umer Ahmed Bukhari on Wednesday urged Ulema and religious scholars to ensure inter-sectarian harmony as well as compliance with the standard operating procedures (SOPs) devised by the government against local transmission of the novel coronavirus during Muharram processions.

In view of the ongoing sacred month of Muharram, two important meetings were held at the headquarters of the Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) with Bukhari, its director general, in chair. The spokesman for the Rangers said that the first meeting reviewed security steps taken across the province, including in Karachi, for the observance of Ashura with complete peace, for which purpose a composite strategy was adopted.

The second meeting was attended by notable religious scholars and leaders. The Rangers chief reiterated the resolve that all the relevant law enforcement agencies would take the required steps to provide foolproof security for maintaining law and order during the sacred month.

The meetings were also attended by the Karachi additional commissioner, the city police chief, the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) chief, the Special Branch DIG, the Intelligence Bureau joint DIG, the DIGs of the East, South and West zones as well as of the CTD, the Criminal Investigation Agency and the traffic police, and other officials of the police, Rangers and intelligence agencies.

The Rangers have appealed to the people to immediately contact the paramilitary force’s helpline (1101) or their Madadgar WhatsApp (0347-900-1111) to alert them about any suspicious activity or the presence of any suspicious person to timely foil any attempt to sabotage peace in the province.

Loudspeakers banned

The Sindh government has imposed a ban on the use of loudspeakers in Muharram across the province. As per a notification issued on Tuesday, the home department has also banned 143 “firebrand speakers and scholars in districts of Sindh” because “it is imperative to restrict them from acting in a manner prejudicial to public safety and maintenance of public order in the province”.

Traffic diversion plan

Deputy Inspector General of Police Jawed Ali Mahar, chief of the Karachi Traffic Police, on Wednesday issued a traffic diversion plan for the 8th, 9th and 10th of Muharram (August 28 to 30).

The spokesman for the traffic police said processions in connection with the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) will be held on the 8th, 9th and 10th of Muharram from the Nishtar Park to the Hussainian Iranian Imambargah in Kharadar.

8th Muharram

The procession will take the route of Nishtar Park, Sir Shah Nawaz Bhutto Road, Father Jaminis Road, Mehfil-e-Shah-e-Khurasan, MA Jinnah Road, Mansfield Street, Preedy Street, Tibet Chowk, Baba-e-Urdu, Chand Bibi Chowk, Nishtar Road, Nigar Cinema, Altaf Hussain Road, Denso Hall, again MA Jinnah Road, Kharadar police station, Bombay Bazaar to Hussainian Iranian Imambargah.

9th Muharram

A procession will be taken out from Liaquatabad via Imambargah Martin Road to Nishtar Park. After Majlis, the procession will be taken out at about 12 midday. It will take the route of Nishtar Park, Sir Shah Nawaz Bhutto Road, Father Jaminis Road, Mehfil-e-Shah-e-Khurasan, MA Jinnah Road, Mansfield Street, Preedy Street, Tibet Chowk, again MA Jinnah Road, Boulton Market, Bombay Bazaar, Kharadar, Nawab Mahabat Khanji Road to Hussainian Iranian Imambargah.

10th Muharram

The procession will take the route of Nishtar Park, Sir Shah Nawaz Bhutto Road, Father Jaminis Road, Mehfil-e-Shah-e-Khurasan, MA Jinnah Road, Mansfield Street, Preedy Street, Tibet Chowk, again MA Jinnah Road, Boulton Market, Bombay Bazaar, Kharadar, Nawab Mahabat Khanji Road to Hussainian Iranian Imambargah.

As soon as the procession will start from Nishtar Park, all vehicular traffic coming from the city side will be diverted towards Soldier Bazaar Road (Bahadur Yar Jang Road), Coast Guard, Ankle Saria Chowk to Jubilee or Nishtar Road.

All kinds of traffic coming from the Nazimabad side will be diverted from Lasbela towards Nishtar Road and from there towards Zoological Gardens to reach their destinations.

All kinds of traffic coming from the Liaquatabad side will be diverted from Martin Road towards the Karachi Central Jail side. These vehicles will be permitted to proceed towards the jail, Jamshed Road, Dada Bhoy Noorji Road, Kashmir Road, Shahrah-e-Quaideen, Sharea Faisal, Lucky Star, Sarwar Shaheed Road, Fatima Jinnah Road, Fawara Chowk, Din Muhammad Wafai Road, Dr Ziauddin Ahmed Road, Shaheen Complex to II Chundrigar Road.

All kinds of traffic coming from the Stadium Road side will proceed via New MA Jinnah Road. These vehicles will be diverted from Dada Bhoy Noorji Road towards Kashmir Road, Society Light Signal, Shahrah-e-Quaideen to Sharea Faisal.

All kinds of traffic coming from the Super Highway and Gulberg side will be diverted from Liaquatabad No. 10 towards Nazimabad No. 2, from where it will proceed via Habib Bank Flyover, Estate Avenue Road, Sher Shah to Mauripur Road.

All kinds of traffic coming from the National Highway side will be diverted from Rashid Minhas Road towards Stadium Road, Sir Shah Suleman Road, Hassan Square, Liaquatabad No. 10, Nazimabad No. 2 and will proceed via Habib Bank Flyover, Estate Avenue Road, Sher Shah to Mauripur Road. For return journeys these vehicles will adopt the same route.

All kinds of traffic will not be permitted to proceed along the route of the procession from Guru Mandir. These vehicles will be diverted onto Bahadur Yar Jang Road.

All vehicular traffic coming from Shahrah-e-Quaideen will not be allowed to proceed from the Noorani Light Signal, except those arriving to participate in the procession, having official stickers pasted on their windscreens, while others will be diverted to the right side of the Noorani Light Signal.

Traffic of MA Jinnah Road will not be allowed from Preedy Street, Aga Khan III Road and Mansfield Street to proceed towards Saddar. No traffic will be allowed from MA Jinnah Road, Preedy Junction until the procession crosses this intersection. All kinds of traffic coming from the Zoological Gardens, Aga Khan III Road will be allowed until the Ankle Saria Hospital.

Participants’ routes

All participants will use the route from the Nazimabad side to Lasbela, Albela, left turn on Britto Road, the Soldier Bazaar No. 3 signal to Numaish; and from Liaquatabad, Teen Hatti, Jahangir Road, Gurumandir to Numaish, the Society Light Signal to Numaish, Gulistan-e-Jauhar and Gulshan Iqbal, University Road, Kashmir Road, the Society Light Signal to Numaish.

Diversions

Vehicular traffic diversions will be made from Sabeel Wali Masjid Bahadur Yar Jang Road towards Soldier Bazaar, the Gurumandir Light Signal, Shahrah-e-Quaideen and Kashmir Road, the Society Light Signal, Lasbela, Nishtar Road towards Teen Hatti.

From the Aga Khan Park, traffic will turn toward the Soldier Bazaar police station, Mansfield Street and the Capri Light Signal, the Nasra School near Coast Guard. From the Ankle Saria Hospital near MA Jinnah Road, traffic will move towards University Road and Sir Shah Suleman Road, MA Jinnah Road and Aga Khan Road (Garden Chowk), Jameela Street and Jahangir Patanki (Jubilee), Shahrah-e-Liaquat and Ahl-e-Hadis Masjid, Rafique Shaheed Road and Sarwar Shaheed Road, Lucky Star, Dr Ziauddin Road and Sarwar Shaheed Road.