KOHAT: Top officials of the provincial government, the police and the army on Friday urged the Shia and Sunni elders to help maintain peace during the holy month of Muharram.

Chief Secretary Chaudhry Nadeem Aslam, police chief Akhtar Hayat Khan and General Officer Commanding 9th Division of Army Maj-Gen Mohammad Ehsan Khattak made the call while speaking at a combined jirga of Shia and Sunni elders here.

Kohat division commissioner Mohammad Ali Shah, DIG Dar Ali Khattak, federal minister Sajid Turi and others also spoke on the occasion.

The gathering was held at the commissioner’s house.

The officials also warned that the government would launch a befitting response if any attempt was made to harm peace in Muharram.

On the occasion, GOC Ehsan Khattak said that the Pak Army and other law enforcement agencies were well-prepared to respond to any misadventure by the enemy and to foil its nefarious designs. He said they had defeated the militants in a long war rendering thousands of sacrifices, which would not be allowed to go waste. He added the civil administrations would find the army standing by them in maintaining peace.

The other speakers stressed that the enemies of the state might also try to take advantage of the recent clashes in Kurram tribal district, where a yearlong ceasefire had been achieved with the efforts of a 30-member grand jirga headed by Kohat deputy commissioner Dr Azmatullah Wazir.

The deputy commissioners of Kohat, Hangu, Orakzai, Kurram, and SP operations, Kohat, also participated.

SECURITY ARRANGEMENTS: Foolproof security arrangements have been made to guard the most sensitive Imambargashs in Kohat, Orakzai and Hangu districts.

An official said that 7,850 policemen and security personnel would guard these Imambarghas and routes of the mourners’ processions.

Published in Dawn, July 22th, 2023