KARACHI: Tens of thousands of police personnel, Rangers men and plain clothes members of various other security agencies have been mobilised to keep a close watch on terrorists, criminals and miscreants amid an alert sounded for the next three days when hundreds of Muharram processions have been planned to be taken out and majalis (congregations) to be held across the interior of Sindh.

The Sindh police have already implemented a massive security plan to ensure peace during majalis and processions under way since the 1st of Muharram in almost all cities and towns, as well as many villages.

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday (the 8th, 9th and 10 of Muharram) are to witness the highest number of processions and majalis in each city and town. As such, a maximum number of security personnel is to be deployed at and around the venues of congregations as well as along the routes of the processions on these days.

HYDERABAD: A total of 712 processions are to be taken out from different areas of this district till the Ashura day (Wednesday) while 783 majalis would be held at imambargahs, mosques and open places. The police have declared 40 places along the routes of the processions ‘highly sensitive’ and another 176 ‘sensitive’. Out of the 783 congregation venues, 41 have been declared highly sensitive and 144 others ‘sensitive’. Four thousand police personnel would perform the security duties in the district while 700 Rangers personnel, 200 scouts and 300 volunteers of district peace committees would assist them.

According to the police, use of mobile jamming devices during the course of the events was one of the many measures being taken. At four highly sensitive places, including Qadam Gah Maula Ali, watch towers have been set up.

Apart from the largest procession traditionally taken out from Tando Agha, a women procession that emerges from Sero Ghat is attended by a large number of mourners.

SUKKUR: The 7th Muhar-ram procession of Mirs (as is popularly known) was taken out from Takay Wali Masjid in Rohri on Sunday amid strict security measures with a strong contingent of police along with Rangers personnel

having been line up all along its route i.e Gajwani Muhalla, Karbala Road, Bus Stand, Station Road and Kot Mir Yakoob Ali Shah.

The roads leading to the route were tightly sealed and everyone joining in the procession had to undergo a body search.

The police and Rangers personnel deployed at various places, especially highly sensitive ones, across the district have not been withdrawn as dozens of processions and congregations are to take place over the next three days.

The Sukkur district peace committee held its meeting at the Bandhani Rajput hall in Nawan Goth to share security concerns and the arrangements made to address them with Ulema and other religious scholars belonging to the Shia and sects. Officials of various security agencies and district administration, as well as elite of the area, also attended the meeting.It was noted that there was a potential threat from terrorists to the religious events keeping in view the prevailing tension between Pakistan and India and an alert sounded by the Pakistan government and army.

The meeting urged the religious scholars to play their due role in maintaining complete sectarian harmony to help security forces foil any attempt to disturb peace during Muharram.

DADU: Two suspects were held by a police team acting upon a tip-off about a possible armed attack at the central imambargah in Johi town on Sunday.

Dadu SSP Shabbir Ahmed Sethar told local journalists in his office that the suspects riding a car were nabbed as soon as they reached the main gate of the imambargah.

A pistol with 20 live bullets were seized from them and the car they were riding was impounded, the police officer said, adding that the vehicle’s registration number appeared to be fake.

Inspector Akbar Panhwar, who led the police team, said that the suspect were nabbed as soon as they parked the car close to the main gate of the imambargah. He identified the suspects as Ayub Pathan, son of Abdul Rasool and Pervaiz Khan, son of Sher Mohammed Shah Pathan, both residents of Quetta.

They were also in possession of some passports and travel documents, and those relating to them suggested that the suspects lived in Oman and Qatar between 2009 and 2014.

MIRPURKHAS: Several hundred police personnel, supported by Rangers men, provided security to the participants in the 7th Muharram procession taken out from the Bhansinghabad imambargah here on Sunday.

After passing through its tradition route, the procession ended peacefully at Makhan Shah imammargah, where a majlis was held.

Published in Dawn October 10th, 2016