PESHAWAR: The ninth Muharram processions were taken out peacefully in the provincial metropolis and other cities on Friday amid tight security.

A mourning procession in the provincial capital was taken out from the Imamia Hall Imambargah, Saddar Road, which took the traditional route via Fawara Chowk before ending peacefully.

The Saddar area was sealed with only entry points from Stadium Chowk side and Fakhr Alam Road, where police and volunteers of Imamia students thoroughly checked the participants.

Besides being deployed on different entry and exit points, the law enforcers were also seen on rooftops of different buildings to closely watch movement of people.

Over 13,000 cops deployed in Peshawar city for security of mourners

The Saddar Bazaar and all roads leading to it were sealed off with tents and barbed wire, while scores of personnel were deployed on the nearby roads and procession routes. Police had diverted traffic towards Sher shah Suri Road as Saddar Road remained closed till the afternoon.

A large number of police personnel were also deployed for the protection of mourners near the Hussainia Imambargah.

“As precautionary measure to maintain peace the mobile service was suspended in parts of the provincial capital on Friday morning, which will also remain shut on Ashura today (Saturday),” a statement issued by the home department said.

Similarly, Bus Rapid Transit service has also been suspended for Friday and Saturday.

“About 80 per cent of the intercity public transport also remained off the road because of lack of passengers,” Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Public Transport Owners’ Association president Khan Zaman Afridi told Dawn. He said the transport would also remain off the road on Ashura.

Police officials also visited the area to check the security situation. The volunteers and Rescue 1122 personnel, including female staff, had set up free medical camps and many others served water, Sharbat and food to the participants.

The rescue workers also remained alert with their ambulances and fire tenders. They also provided first aid to 210 mourners on the occasion.

According to police officials the bomb disposal unit and sniffer dogs were used to check routes of procession and other sensitive places, while hundreds of CCTV cameras had been installed to monitor movement of people to ensure peace in and around Imambargahs and at the procession routes across the provincial metropolis.

A ‘supreme command post’ was set up at the Kohati Chowk with many other sub-posts at different sensitive places for the coordination of security arrangements with relevant officials.

About the arrangements for the Ashura processions, the officials said all mourning processions would pass through several security layers before reaching the respective worship places.

According to the organisers, at least 16 processions of Ashura will be taken out from different Imambargah in Peshawar city.

The police said of the total 60 Imambargahs, 20 had been declared sensitive, where foolproof security arrangements were in place.

Earlier, a statement issued by the city police said a total of 13,500 police personnel were deployed across the city for providing security to the processions besides maintaining law and order in the provincial capital.

“About 200 CCTV cameras were installed at all the sensitive places and were being monitored at the control room,” the statement said, adding search and strike operations were being carried out and all the hotels, guest houses were being checked with the guests’ data collected.

“Entry of Afghan refugees has also been banned in the provincial capital,” the statement said, adding cellular networks would remain suspended for 9th and 10th Muharram.

In Dera Ismail Khan, the mourners’ processions of the 9th Muharram culminated peacefully amid tight security.

The main procession started from Imambargah Bammun Shah, which followed its traditional route, and ended at Jamia Masjid Lato Faqir.

Processions from other Imambargahs in the city also joined the main procession at different points.

The mourners recited Nohas and beat their chests in respect of the martyrs of Karbala.

In Haripur, the Alam and Zuljinah procession of 9th Muharram was taken out from Imambargah Imamia Sajjadia Mohallah Motian and ended at Imambargah Qadeemia Gurdwara School amid tight security as the district had been on the list of cities declared as sensitive. Mobile service also remained suspended till the termination of the procession.

The mourners from different parts of the district participated and beat their chests and performed self-flogging on the route that was heavily cordoned off by 400 personnel of police and Elite Force, while FC and military troops stood alert to respond to the call for reinforcement.

Regional police officer Tahir Ayub, commissioner Hazara Amir Sultan Tareen, DPO Omar Khan Gandapur and Haripur deputy commissioner Auon Haider and other administrative officers visited the routes of the procession and reviewed the security arrangements.

Published in Dawn, July 29th, 2023