KOHAT, Dec 4: More than 5,000 personnel have been deployed in Kohat and Hangu districts for the security of processions and 51 sensitive worship places on 9th and 10th of Muharram.

The home department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and federal interior ministry has declared 22 imambargahs and five mosques in Hangu and 11 mosques and 13 imambargahs in Kohat as vulnerable to terrorist attacks.

“To thwart any untoward incident, the routes of processions are combed regularly by the bomb disposal squads of police and engineering corps of army along with Pakistan Air Force,” official sources said.

The security personnel including police, Frontier Corps, Frontier Constabulary, commandoes, bomb disposal squads and volunteers would ensure security of the processions on 9th and 10th Muharram, they added.

The administration has decided to keep only one entrance open to the processions and carry out strict checking of the vehicles and people, who enter Kohat and Hangu from other areas.

The entry of tribesmen and Afghan refugees has been also banned into Kohat and Hangu.

“This year, security arrangements are unprecedented,” sources said.

In Peshawar, a spokesman of Rescue 1122 said on Sunday that teams of rescuers would remain alert during Muharram to deal with any unpleasant incident.

“The teams of Rescue 1122 have also been sent to southern districts including Kohat and Hangu to provide emergency service to people,” he said.

He said that Rescue 1122 teams were performing duty at different locations in Peshawar. “The sub-stations of Rescue 1122 have also been established at different locations on the procession routs,” he said.

Meanwhile, several processions in connection with 8th Muharram were taken out from different imambargahs in Peshawar under tight security on Saturday.

The main procession, taken out from Imambargah Alam Shah, followed the traditional route of Akhundabad Imambargah and Imambargah Syed Najaf Ali shah.

Another procession appeared from Saddat Plaza Saddar and after marching on traditional route terminated at Imambargah Hussainia Hall, located at main Saddar Road.

Police and paramilitary forces remained fully alert to avert any untoward incident. All the entry and exit points were plugged. The volunteers of Imamia Students Scouts and Mukhtiar Scouts also helped law enforcement agencies.

In Abbottabad, Chief Secretary Ghulam Dastagir Akhtar asked law enforcement agencies to make coordinated efforts to maintain peace during Muharram.

Presiding over a meeting at Commissioner House on Sunday, he expressed satisfaction over the arrangements made for maintenance peace during Muharram.

Inspector General Police Akbar Khan Hoti, Home Secretary Azam Khan, Hazara Commissioner Mohammad Khalid Khan Umerzai , DCOs and DPOs of Haripur, Mansehra and Abbottabad and head of other agencies attended the meeting.

Mr Umerzai briefed the meeting about the steps taken by the division and district administrations for Muharram processions.

He said that routes for processions were determined and about 2,100 police personnel would be deployed to provide security to the mourners.

He said that stakeholders and organisers of processions were asked to abide by the rules and directions. He said that necessary security measures were taken by imposing section 144 to control situation.

The commissioner told the meeting that availability of medical cover, drinking water and ambulances would be ensured during the processions.

He added peace committees were activated and intelligence coordination committee meetings were held at district and divisional level to keep situation under control.