KARACHI: The Sindh police used a robot to detect improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and clear the route of a mourning procession for the first time on Thursday as part of comprehensive security arrangements on the occasion of Yaum-i-Ali.

The main procession marking the martyrdom anniversary of Hazrat Ali was taken out from Nishtar Park which terminated at Imambargah Hussainia Iranian in the evening after passing through its traditional route of M.A. Jinnah Road amid tight security.

This was the first time that modern technology was used for the security of the procession here in the metropolis, as its importance increased after the recent death of a bomb disposal squad official while defusing a bomb in Hyderabad, said Karachi police chief Ghulam Qadir Thebo.

He said the city police had got the robot from the special branch of police to detect IEDs/ bombs on routes of mourning processions.

The additional IG said the police had received intelligence reports that leader of the outlawed Lashkar-i-Jhangvi Asif Chhotu had arrived in Karachi to carry out his nefarious designs. Therefore, enhanced security arrangements were made with deployment of 11,000 police officials, while the police had also requested suspension of mobile phone services, he added.

Since late Wednesday night, all entry points along the route of the procession and shops along the route were sealed as part of strict security measures. All those joining the procession were being frisked by scouts at barriers. The people who had earlier come to attend Majlis, which was addressed by Allama Majid Raza Abidi, at Nishtar Park also underwent three layers of security checks, all managed by the scouts.

Shops situated along the route of the procession had been sealed by police since Wednesday night. Besides deployment of Rapid Response Force, police commandos, personnel of specialised police unit of police and additional forces were also deployed for monitoring the procession.

A team of the bomb disposal unit swept the route ahead of the procession. Besides, service of the Karachi police K-9 unit was also employed to detect explosives along the route of the procession. The bomb disposal squad chief told Dawn that the anti-IED robot was suitable for defusing a suicide jacket with minimum chances of explosion. “The robot, which can also climb stairs, can detect an IED/bomb within a radius of one kilometre,” he said. So far, it had detected and defused over a dozen of bombs or IEDs in different areas during the past one year, the official said, adding that the police had planned to buy 10 to 15 such anti-IED robots, each costing around Rs10 million, to be deployed across the province to meet any eventuality. The robot had been introduced in Peshawar before being used in Karachi, he said.

Following the Majlis at Nishtar Park, the mourners performing Matam passed through the streets around Britto Road and Mehfil Shah-i-Khurasan and appeared on M.A. Jinnah Road. They kept performing Matam till Zuhrain when prayers were offered in front of Imambargah Ali Raza.

After the prayers, the Imamia Students Organisation organised a protest demonstration against the US and Israel for their ‘anti-Islam agenda’ and the resulting wave of sectarianism in the Islamic countries.

The procession then following its traditional route passed through Empress Market, Regal and Tibet Centre before emerging on M.A. Jinnah Road. The procession culminated at the Imambargah Hussainia Iranian, Kharadar. At the culmination of the procession, buses had been arranged for the mourners at the Tower traffic intersection.

Meanwhile, a rally from Nagan Chowrangi to Sakhi Hasan was organised by the Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ) on the occasion of Yaum-i-Ali.

A large number of people attended the rally which was addressed by ASWJ senior leaders Rab Nawaz Hanafi, Taj Hanafi and Maulana Tariq Masood. In their speeches, they called for unity among the Muslims across the world to take up the challenges being faced by the Ummah.

Published in Dawn, July 10th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play