In Rawalpindi city, Majalis-i-Aza will be held in various imambargahs, where sermons will be given to commemorate the sacrifice rendered by Imam Hussain (AS) and his companions at Karbala.

The main Ashura procession will be taken out from Imambargah Colonel Maqbool Hussain on the College Road. It would be joined by smaller processions originating from Imambargah Hifazat Ali Shah in Bohar Bazaar and Imambargah Baltistan near Banni Chowk.

Mourners will carry out Zanjir Zuni, beat their chest, and recite Nohas and Marsias.

The participants of the main procession will perform Zanjir Zuni at Bohar Bazaar Chowk, Habib Bank Chowk and in Trunk Bazaar.

The midday prayers would be held near Fawara Chowk.

Rescue workers will remain on high alert, while 14 ambulances and 12 fire vehicles will move along with the processions.

Rescue posts have been established at F.G. Girls School Saddar, Iqbal Road Imambargah, Mughalabad Road Qaser-i-Abutalib/Sajjad, Imam Bargah Colonel Maqbool Hussain, Faizabad Flyover, Chohan Chowk near the airport, Sadiqabad Shakrial Imambargah, and Morgah near Fauji Foundation Hospital.

Meanwhile the security forces have been put on red alert in the twin cities till the culmination of Ashura proceedings, officials said on Sunday.

After the administrations of Rawalpindi and Islamabad decided to ensure maximum security, contingents of army troops, Rangers personnel and police carried out joint flag marches in the neighbouring cities over the weekend.

A senior police officer said the instructions for enhanced security arrangements came after a suicide bomber tried to attack an Imambargah in the Shakrial area earlier this week.

The bomber detonated his explosives when he was challenged by guards. The blast killed the attacker and a six-year-old girl, besides injuring three other people.

The officer said personnel of the army, Rangers, police, Elite Force, Tiger Force, traffic police and Rescue 1122 participated in the flag march in Rawalpindi on Sunday that started from Police Lines at around 1pm.

The march ended at the same point after the contingents travelled through Benazir Bhutto Road, Fawara Chowk, Liaquat Bagh, Rehamanabad and along the route of the Muharram 10 procession.

City Police Officer Rao Mohammad Iqbal, SSP Operations Yasin Farooq and SP Potohar Kamran Adil were leading the march.

“It was aimed at making the presence of security forces felt and to warn the anti-social elements,” according to the officer.

A comprehensive security plan has been chalked out to maintain law and order.

Special passes have been issued to 500 volunteers, who would perform security duty along with the police. Authorities have also decided to install walkthrough gates to search people entering the processions. A special traffic plan has also been devised for Rawalpindi.

Our reporter adds Punjab government has declared 133 places in the Rawalpindi Division, including 98 in Rawalpindi city, as sensitive.

Punjab chief minister's adviser Raja Ashfaq Sarwar, who is also in charge of the peace committee in Rawalpindi, presided over a high-level meeting here on Sunday to review the security arrangements for Muharram 10.