RAWALPINDI: The district administration has taken unprecedented security measures for Ashura, which include monitoring of processions by helicopter, deployment of 6,000 police, Army, and Rangers, and the categorisation of processions as A, B and C.

In addition, mobile phone service will also remain suspended in certain areas all day on Ashura.

Two companies each of Army, Rangers, 1200 Punjab Constabulary (PC) and 40 teams of Elite Police Force have been called to assist the local police to maintain peace during Ashura processions.

A senior police official said the Muharram processions and Majalis had beencategorizedinto A, B and C with the help of Special Branch as the processions falling into categoryAare those located in sensitive areas where the security has always been on high alert.

The processions and Majalis placed in category ‘B’ are considered as less sensitive due to their less attendance and for their location as well where security has been provided as per the need.

6,000 law enforcement personnel to monitor processions

He further revealed that the processions falling in category C are considered as less vulnerable where chances of sectarian violence are remote.

According to sources, as many as 144 processions would be taken out on Muharram 10and had been categorized as A, B and C.

He said 22 processions had been categorised as A, 26 placed in category B and 96 in category C.

Besides 6000 police, Rangers and Army, 1,800 volunteers would be deployed in Rawalpindi district to maintain peace during Ashura processions.

Traffic plan for Ashura

City Traffic Police has chalked out a traffic plan to provide complete and foolproof security to the mourning processions on the occasion of Ashura Day with deployment of 786 traffic police personnel including 9 DSPs, 40 inspectors, 510 traffic wardens and 227 traffic assistants.

Traffic will be diverted from DAV College Chowk from where all types of traffic will be closed towards College Road.

According to the plan, the traffic will be diverted from Gawalmandi to Dhok Kumar to Bhosa Godown, Mashriq Hotel, City Saddar Road will be diverted back to Saddar and Mohanpura. From Mohanpura the traffic will pass through Novelty cinema Chowk. From the cinema chowk the traffic will go from Ganjmandi Road to Pirwadhai.

Similarly, traffic will not be allowed to Kashmiri Bazaar from Novelty Cinema Chowk and all traffic will go to Saddar via Transit Camp.

Traffic from Allah Dutta Road to Dhok Dalal, TB Hospital, Pirwadhai and Asghar Mall Road will come to Liaquat Bagh from Murree Road via Circular Road.

Diversion will be installed at Hamilton Chowk and Banswala Chowk. Traffic will not be allowed at Jamia Masjid.

Chief Traffic Officer Rawalpindi Rai Mazhar Iqbal issued instructions to the traffic police to remain alert and perform their duties to ensure security and keep the traffic flowing on the alternative route.

In Jhelum district, 22 processions and 64 majalis were peacefully held on Muharram 9 on Wednesday.

DPO Jhelum Shakir Hussain Dawar said that all procession and Majalis were peaceful with the efforts of Jhelum police and other law enforcing agencies.

All the processions and Majalis were monitored is with CCTV cameras.

Private volunteers including assisted the police while searching the people entering the Majalis and processions.

Pakistan Army and Rangers also assisted Jhelum police in ensuring security besides snipers were also deployed on the buildings falling on the processions route.

Meanwhile, Rawalpindi Division Commissioner Gulzar Hussain Shah, Rawalpindi Regional Police Officer Imran Ahmer visited Jalapur Sharif area of Pind Dadan Khan along with DPO and DC Jhelum to observe the security measures at the Majalis and processions in the area.

Commissioner and RPO got a briefing from the DC and DPO over the security arrangements.

Published in Dawn, August 19th, 2021