11 April 2004	Sunday	20 Safar 1425

QUETTA, April 10: The provincial authorities on Saturday allowed Balochistan Shia Conference leaders to take out Chehlum procession of Hazrat Imam Hussain (AS) in Quetta on Sunday.

The decision was taken at a meeting of top government officials concluded late evening here on Saturday, which continued for several hours, sources said.

A delegation of the Balochistan Shia Conference headed by top Shia leaders had on Friday demanded of government to lift the ban on the procession in Quetta at a meeting with the government officials.

The Shia leaders and the government agreed that the procession would pass through the already allotted route and no body would carry arms and ammunition in the procession.

The meeting decided that police and other law-enforcement agencies would cordon off the entire route of the procession and no other person would be allowed to enter the area.

The local administration on Saturday took stringent security measures and deployed heavy contingents of police, members of Balochistan Reserve Police and law-enforcement agencies at all buildings and important places.

Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Mir Mohammad Yousuf and Home Minister Mir Shoaib Nausherwani took round of the procession route along with top administration and police officials. The army troops also patrolled the area where the Chehlum procession would be taken out on Sunday.

The Army and FC troops would remain alert during the procession to meet any untoward situation.