65 processions to be taken out today amid tight security

Rawalpindi:Under tight security cover a total 65 processions of ‘taazia’, ‘zuljinah’ and ‘alam’ will be taken out from different parts of the city on 'Ashura' on Thursday (today).

‘Azadars’ would attend 113 ‘majalis’ in different parts of the city on 'Ashura'. The local administration has deployed over 3,000 security officials to control 65 'zuljinnah', 'taazia' and ‘alam’ processions on 'Ashura'.

According to set program, the main ‘zuljinah’ procession will be taken out from Imambargah Colonel Maqbool Hussain at about 9 a.m. and culminate at Qadeemi Imambargah after 'Maghrib'. The distance of the main procession is 2 kilometres and it has 7 vulnerable points. The main ‘zuljinah’ procession will pass through its traditional route of Noorani Masjid, Teli Mohallah; Kalya Wali Masjid, Iqbal Road near Chitti Hattian; Hanafia Masjid near Naya Mohallah; Fawara Chowk; Taleem-ul-Quran, Dingi Khoi Chowk; Hanafia Masjid, Purana Qila; and Jamia Masjid Road.

There will be joint processions at Imambargah Fazal Hussain, Imambargah Colonel Maqbool, Imambargah Baltistania, Imambargah Hefazat Ali Shah, Imambargah Yadgar-e-Hussain, Imambargah Shah Chan Chiragh, Imambargah Ashiq Hussain and Imambargah Qadeemi.

There are total 111 flashpoints in which 42 points are in Category ‘A’ and 51 points are in Category ‘B’ while 18 points have been declared most sensitive in Rawalpindi.

As many as 5,000 security personnel will be deployed in the district to ensure security of ‘majalis’ and 'Ashura' processions. Aerial surveillance of 'Ashura' processions will be conducted to ensure security of mourners.

“The district administration has installed 300 CCTV cameras, 56 walkthrough gates and 3 jammers. It has also arranged 10 sniffer dogs to check suspected persons. Special checking of the route of the 'Ashura' processions will be completed before start of the processions and clearance from the bomb disposal squad will also be sought prior to the start of the processions.

The mourners will be checked with metal detectors and walkthrough gates would be installed at the entry points.

The routes of the main procession of 'Ashura' will be sealed completely and streets on the route of the processions will also be barricaded. Vehicles and motorbikes will not be allowed to move with the mourning processions.

There would be zero tolerance to show of arms, wall-chalking, hate material and there would be complete ban on hate speeches and unnecessary use of loudspeakers on 'Ashura'. All processions must conclude after ‘Maghrib’ prayers and there would be full lighting system on all procession routes.

The main procession in Rawalpindi was taken out from Waris Khan, Teli Mohallah, and passed through Committee Chowk, Trunk Bazaar, Jamia Masjid Road to Imambargah Qadeemi. The Rawalpindi district administration made elaborate arrangements for the mourners.

The law enforcement agencies blocked all roads leading to the places of processions while the citizens were advised to follow alternative routes.

Police used metal detectors to frisk people joining the processions. CCTV cameras and searchlights were installed along the routes of the processions, while medical facilities were also provided to the mourners. Besides that helicopters continued hovering in the sky for aerial surveillance.

In Rawalpindi, the most important processions from security point of view were ‘Alam Zuljinah’ that was taken out from Chittian Hattian and Fatimia Imambargah, Hathi Chowk.

The first ‘Markazi Alam Zuljinah’ procession was brought out from Chittian Hattian and culminated at Colonel Maqbool Hussain Imambargah at Raja Bazaar after passing through Committee Chowk and Iqbal Road.

The second procession of ‘Alam Zuljinah’ appeared from Fatmia Imambargah, Hathi Chowk, Saddar, which marched on Railway Road, Koila Centre and Massey Gate and reached back at Fatmia Imambargah. Scores of road-side ‘sabeels’ and charity food stalls were also set up, only after getting permission from the district administration, to provide sweet water, rice, ‘haleem’ and other food items to the participants of the processions.

On the other hand, the city’s major roads wore a deserted look as it was a public holiday and the atmosphere was calm.