9th Muharram processions taken out peacefully

PESHAWAR: Cellular phone signals remained suspended in the provincial capital and other towns on Monday as part of upgraded security measures for peaceful observance of the Ashura Muharram.

Policemen as well as personnel of other law-enforcement agencies across the province remained on their toes after there were threats of possible terror attacks during Muharram. The routes of the 9th Muharram processions were swept by the bomb disposal experts and sniffer dogs on Monday. Officers also kept monitoring the routes through CCTV and drone cameras from the central control room.

Over 11,000 policemen from Peshawar and other districts were deployed in the inner city that was sealed for the last three days. The Rapid Response Force, Ababeel Squad, City Patrol and all the other squads remained on alert to respond to any untoward situation.

Soldiers of paramilitary Frontier Constabulary and contingents of the army were also deployed in some areas along with the police. The main procession of the 9th Muharram was brought out from the main Imambargah in the Imamia Colony on Saddar Road. It passed through the traditional routes and returned to the same spot.

The Saddar Bazaar was blocked from all sides right from the Stadium Chowk to Nauthia Chowk and FC Headquarters. The entrances were blocked with barbed wires and concrete blocks. All the trade centres remained closed. Capital City Police Officer Muhammad Ijaz Khan and other police officers including SSP Operations Kashif Aftab Abbasi, SP City Atiq Shah and SP Cantt Azhar Khan along with senior army and administration officers visited the routes of the processions and inspected the overall security.

After threats of attack, policemen deployed for the security of the Muharram events were issued special cards. No one without the document will be allowed close to the procession routes. The cards were being renewed daily with a change in colour.

Apart from the main city and Saddar, police remained alert at the entry and exit points of the provincial capital. In the inner city, over 30 main markets remained sealed for the last four days while no one is being allowed to enter the area. The mourning processions were taken out as well in other districts of KP which culminated peacefully after passing through their traditional routes.