Chehlum procession mourns martyrs of Karbala, recalls their sacrifices

Chehlum of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) was observed with religious solemnity on Thursday as people mourned his martyrdom as well as that of his companions in Karbala and paid homage to their great sacrifices.

Religious scholars and participants of different processions paid homage to the sacrifices of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) and his companions in the Karbala incident by reciting Marsiyas.

Small processions were held in different parts of Karachi that later joined the main procession, which began moving out of the Nishtar Park after the Majlis-e-Aza was addressed by a scholar, who highlighted the significance of Hazrat Imam Hussain’s (RA) sacrifices. A large number of people, including women and children, attended the Majlis-e-Aza, following which the mourners moved out of the Nishtar Park and offered the Zohrain prayers.

The mourners participated in the procession in the form of caravans, while the main procession moved from the Nishtar Park to the Hussainian Iranian Imambargah in Kharadar.

Hundreds of policemen, snipers and plain-clothes officials were deployed to secure the routes of the processions, while mobile phone networks also remained suspended along those routes for an additional layer of security. An Alam procession moved from the Shah-e-Najaf Imambargah on Martin Road to the Nishtar Park, where a Majlis was held before the main procession moved out of there.

The procession passed through its designated route — which included Sir Shah Nawaz Bhutto Road, Father Jaminis Road, Mehfil-e-Shah-e-Khorasan, MA Jinnah Road, Mansfield Street, Saddar Dawa Khana, Preedy Street, Tibet Chowk, Boulton Market, Bombay Bazaar, Kharadar and Nawab Mahabat Khanji Road — before culminating at the Hussainian Iranian Imambargah.

Special security measures, including a ban on pillion riding, were adopted by the security agencies to avert any untoward incident. All the routes leading towards the routes of the procession were blocked with containers, while the commercial areas in their vicinities were also closed.

A large number of Rangers and police officials along with scouts performed security duties. Security arrangements were also monitored at the command & control room besides conducting aerial surveillance of the central procession.

More than 17,000 police officials performed security duties across the province. In Karachi around 5,000 officials, 82 vans, 65 motorbike squads and seven armoured personnel carriers (APCs) were deployed for the main procession’s security.

Apart from the law enforcers, over 5,000 volunteers from Shia scouts organisations also performed security duties. Three hundred CCTV cameras installed at around 72 points were used to monitor the procession. Sharp-shooters were also deployed on top of high-rises.

On the directives of Karachi Additional IGP Ghulam Nabi Memon and Security & Emergency Services Division DIG Maqsood Ahmed, a security plan was devised for Chehlum by the security division. The plan was devised in consultation with the zonal DIGs, the Sindh Rangers and other departments concerned.

Under the plan 1,403 security division officials performed their duties with other law enforcement agencies along the procession routes, at Majalis and other sensitive places.

Ninety sharp-shooters of the Special Security Unit (SSU) were also deployed at various places, while 300 SSU commandos performed their duties as a reserve force of city police chief Memon.

DIG Ahmed said these commandos are highly trained and were equipped with modern weapons and communication systems to better deal with miscreants and terrorists in emergency situations.

He said the SSU’s advanced and professionally trained Special Weapons & Tactics Team remained on high alert to deal with any untoward incident. Along with the SSU, the entire Sindh police department was upgraded and a foolproof security plan was constituted for Chehlum, he added. A traffic diversion plan had already been announced to avoid congestions on roads.