MULTAN City News

Ashura to be observed amid tight security today

From Our Correspondents

MULTAN: Total 117 mourning processions will be taken out in the district on Ashura today.

Talking to journalists here on Tuesday, City Police Officer Ahsan Younis said that 4,500 security personnel would discharge security duties on Ashura. He said that 21 processions and 38 Majalis were included in category ‘A’ from the security point of view. He said that the CCTV cameras had been installed to monitor the Ashura processions. Meanwhile, the historic Ustadwala and Shagirdwala Tazias were put on display at Pak Gate and Khooni Burj respectively. The Ustadwala Tazia is 200-year-old while Shagirdwala Tazia is 70-year-old. Similarly, other historic Tazias of Multan, including Pir Lal Bakhsh, Kiri Patolian and Allah Bakhshwala, were also put on display. The district administration said that Army and Rangers would be available in case of any emergency.

Meanwhile, the main procession of Muharram 9 was taken out from Mumtazabad Imambargah amid tight security. More than 80 small and big processions also merged into the main procession. All the roads leading to Mumtazabad Main Market were sealed to avoid any untoward incident.

Total 1,832 police officials and officers provided security to the Muharram 9 processions. Total 170 Majalis were held in different parts of the district on Muharram 9.

Meanwhile, District Coordination Officer Nadir Chattha banned pillion riding in Multan on Ashura. He also banned display of weapons and aerial firing for two days, besides use of loudspeaker. He said that the interior minister would decide about cellular phone service suspension.

SIALKOT: Like other parts of the country, Ashura will be observed with solemnity in the district amid tight security today.

According to official sources, more than 115 congregations would be held and about 100 processions would be taken out in the district. More than 850 personnel from the district police and about 300 volunteers from the Civil Defence and Police Qaumi Razakars will discharge security duties. Two companies of Pakistan Army would also remain as standby, whose services could be sought in case of any emergency situation. As many as 162 CCTV cameras and two drone cameras will be used to monitor the Ashura processions in the district. Meanwhile, all staffers of Rescue 1122 have been put on alert for Ashura. Rescue 1122 staffers will set up rescue camps along routes of the processions to provide assistance to the mourners in any emergency. Apart from Sialkot DCO Dr Muhammad Asif Tufail and DPO Dr Muhammad Abid Khan, Gujranwala Commissioner Muhammad Asif and Regional Police Officer Muhammad Tahir are monitoring and supervising the Ashura security arrangements in Sialkot district.

JHANG: The police have finalised all arrangements to provide foolproof security to 240 processions and 140 Majalis to be held here on Ashura (today).

The Pak Army and the Rangers would also provide security cover to the police and other law enforcement agencies in case of emergency situation. During a media briefing on Tuesday, District Police Officer (DPO) Humayun Masood said that 48 out of total 240 processions had been declared most sensitive due to security point of view and they would be monitored through CCTV cameras. He said that seven highly sensitive main processions would be taken out from different areas of the district amid tight security on Ashura. The first main Tazia procession would be taken out from Imambargah Gohar Shah that would be culminated at Imambargah Block Shah before Maghrib prayers after passing through Session Chowk, Fawara Chowk, Rail Bazaar, Dhajji Road and Mohallah Dabkaran. The second main procession of Tazia would be taken out from Mohallah Dabkaran. The third main procession of Alam would be taken out from Imambargah Abbaspura Toba Road, Jhang Sadar and would be ended at main Imambargah Qasr-e-Zahra before Maghrib prayers after passing through Station Chowk and other sensitive roads. The forth main procession would be taken out from Rail Bazaar Chowk and would be ended at Imambargah Qadimi Tanga Adda after marching through Bab-e-Muhammad and other sensitive points. The fifth main procession of Tazia and Zuljinah would be taken out from Saddat Chowk Garh Maharaja and would be concluded at Main Imambargah of Garh Mahraja before Maghrib prayers. The sixth main procession of Tazia would be brought out from the house of Ahmed Bakhsh and would be ended at Ghazipur Ground, Shorkot City. The seventh main procession of Ashura would be taken out from the house of Ghulam Abbas Shah, Shorkot Cantt, and would be concluded at Imambargah Hussainia Shorkot Cantt. The DPO said that 3,000 cops along with 1,100 volunteers, 100 civil defence personnel and 12 teams of Elite Force had been deployed to ensure foolproof security on Ashura, adding that CCTV cameras, metal detectors and walk through gates would also be installed on the main and sensitive processions entry points. He said that pillion riding would be banned on Ashura to ensure peace in the district. Additional traffic police personnel would be deployed at all important points to control traffic and to maintain smooth flow of traffic especially those vehicles coming from other cities, the DPO added. He appealed to media to conform any news before releasing to avoid from creating panic on Ashura. Meanwhile, Rescue 1122 District Emergency Officer Dr Tariq Saeed said that rescuers along with ambulances would be present along with processions to provide first aid and required medical and emergency services to the participants of Muharram processions. He said that routine road accidents and other emergencies would also be handled by the rescuers round the clock and Muharram holidays had already been cancelled in all stations of Rescue 1122. He said that in case of suspension of mobile service on Ashura, the people could contact to Rescue 1122 on emergency landline numbers 1122 and 047-9200179.

GUJRANWALA: The district administration and police have finalised security arrangements for Ashura processions and Majalis.

Reportedly, 5,000 police officials are performing security duty on different routes of processions and Majalis. The district administration has also installed CCTV cameras on procession routes. Pakistan Army troops and cops held a joint flag march on different routes of the city. On Tuesday, the main procession of the 9th Muharram was taken out from Imambargah Kotli Pir Ahmed Shah and after passing through different routes it ended at the same point. Police and security forces provided strict security to the participants. Some 100 processions and 159 Majalis were held in a secure environment. Police booked several motorcyclists for pillion riding.

VEHARI: As many as 128 processions and 311 Majalis will be held on the 10th of Muharram in the district. Giving details while inspecting routs of Muharram processions here on Tuesday, DPO Umar Saeed Malik said that 1,500 policemen, 550 PQRS, 900 volunteers and 71 mobile teams had been deployed to avoid any untoward incident on the 10th of Muharram. The DPO said that walk through gates had been installed at all entry and exit points at religious gatherings and processions. He added that he had also asked all the SDPOs to curb graffiti and display of illegal posters. Umar Saeed Malik said that all the SHOs had been directed to acquire complete bio-data of individuals volunteering for security duties, adding that the peace committees had been asked to ensure complete and error free identification of those people who were staying in the worship places during Muharram. The participants and organisers of processions must obtain clearance certificates from the relevant police station prior to the event, the DPO added.

PAKPATTAN: The main Tazia and Alam procession of Ashura will be taken out from the main imambargah here on Muharram 10 (today).

The procession will be taken out under the leadership of Syed Murawat Hussain. Likewise, small processions of Ashura will be taken out from different parts of the city. A number of Majalis will also be held amid strict security in the district in which Zakirs will threw light on the importance of Ashura. Several youngsters and others will also perform self-flagellation on Ashura. DPO Kamran Yousaf and other police officers inspected the main Muharram procession route and issued necessary orders on the spot. Meanwhile, 476 Tazia and Alam processions of Ashura will be taken out from different parts of Pakpattan district and 176 Majalis will be held in the district.

MANDI BAHAUDDIN: Over 1,500 policemen have been deputed in the district to ensure foolproof security of the processions on Ashura today, said DPO Umar Salamat. He said that metal detectors and walkthrough gates had been installed to check every participant of the processions and snipers had been deployed on high-rise buildings. The DPO said that CCTV cameras had also been installed on the procession routes. He said that the main procession would be taken out from Markazi Imambargah Hussainia at Sadr Bazaar at 10am.

BAHAWALPUR: The Muharram 9 processions ended peacefully amid strict security measures in the district.

Total 30 Alam, Tazia and Zuljinah processions were taken out while 77 Majalis were held. As many as 1,800 security personnel performed duties.