PESHAWAR/KARACHI/QUETTA: Security has been beefed up across the country to ensure safety of processions that are scheduled to take place on Yaum-i-Ali falling on coming Sunday. Mobile phone services are also expected to be blocked in major cities, while there will also be a ban on pillion-riding.

Security in Peshawar will be bolstered for the occasion and cellphone services will likely be suspended on Sunday to prevent any untoward incident as processions take place. The administration in Peshawar has decided to impose Section 144 as well as ban pillion riding in the district.

The orders issued by Peshawar Deputy Commissioner Zaheerul Islam order a ban on pillion riding in the city during processions and violators have been forewarned that they would be dealt with strictly.

Extraordinary security measures were also taken on Friday for Juma prayers and over 2,000 police personnel were deployed for security across the district.

In Lahore, the district police have prepared a ‘foolproof’ security plan for processions to be taken out on Yaum-i-Ali.

District Police Officer Rai Zameerul Haq said Rangers would also be deployed in the district which is regarded as sensitive with regards to its sectarian contours.

The DPO said deputy superintendents had held meetings with peace committee members last week for ensuring a safe route for Yaum-i-Ali processions.

The DPO added that he had visited all routes of the processions and ordered foolproof security on the day.

In Karachi, chief of police Ghulam Qadir Thebo has proposed to the Sindh Home Department to pursue the suspension of cellular service on Yaum-i-Ali for security reasons, a Karachi police spokesman said.

A spate of terrorist attacks in the past have targeted Yaum-i-Ali processions in major cities like Karachi and Lahore. DPO Haq said last year a mourning procession in Lahore had narrowly escaped a bomb attack.

Last year, a wounded suspect from Patel Para accidental blast in Karachi had informed investigators that he was involved in the preparation of the home-made explosive device to target a Yaum-i-Ali procession.

In 2012, firing during a Yaum-i-Ali procession in Karachi's Bolton market area had caused much panic.

55 Imambargahs declared sensitive in Quetta

Balochistan government has placed police and paramilitary troops on a high alert on the eve of Youm-i-Ali in Quetta and other parts of the province.

Secretary Home and Tribal Affairs Balochistan, Akbar Hussain Durrani told Dawn.com that 55 Imambargahs were declared sensitive in Quetta city.

He said police and personnel of Frontier Corps (FC) would be deployed at all exit and entry points of the provincial capital to avert any untoward incident. FC personnel were already deployed at all roads and streets leading to Hazara Town, Alamdar road and other areas of the city.

“All exit and entry points are strictly manned,” Durrani added.

Security was also tightened in and around all Imambargahs located in the city to thwart any terror act. He said most of the areas were declared sensitive on the eve of Youm-i-Ali by the Balochistan government, adding that an additional five platoons have been deployed on the occasion.

The provincial home secretary, however, said hitherto no decision has been made in connection with suspending mobile phone service in the city. “We are not considering suspending mobile service,” he said.

In the meantime, Balochistan Shia Conference has announced to take out mourning processions in different parts of the city.

Syed Dawood Agha, the President Balochistan Shia Conference said mourning processions would be taken out from different parts of the city. He urged upon the provincial government to double the security arrangement for the protection of mourners.

Besides Quetta, security was also tightened in district Bolan, Jaffarabad, Naseerabad, Sibi and other cities of Balochistan.

Bomb defused in Peshawar

In Peshawar, the bomb disposal squad (BDS) defused a bomb planted on a roadside in the Mashokhel area of Badbher.

Chief of the Bomb Disposal Unit (BDU), AIG Shafqat Malik said a home-made explosive device weighing about six kilograms was located and defused along a road in the Mashokhel area.

He said it was suspected that the bomb had been planted at the side of road to target security forces patrolling the area.