KARACHI, Nov 5: A procession was taken out from Nishtar Park here on Friday to mark Yaum-i-Ali amid extraordinary security.
The procession was taken out after Majlis-i-Aza which was addressed by Allama Talib Jauhari in the morning. It culminated at Hussainia Iranian in Kharadar in the evening.
During the march through the M. A. Jinnah Road, the mourners offered Juma prayers at Imambargah Ali Raza. The procession was led by Pak Hydri Scouts. Parking was not allowed in the streets leading to the Majlis-i-Aza.
The vehicles carrying mourners were subjected to a thorough search by police and volunteers before they were allowed into the park. Participants of the Majlis and procession were also frisked before entering the venue of the congregation.
Women mourners were frisked by women volunteers, for the first time in such events, who also stood guard elsewhere in the congregation venue. The city administration had installed secret cameras to keep an eye on suspicious elements.
All the streets and roads leading to the main route of the procession were cordoned off by police and water tankers, buses, minibuses, coaches and containers were used for the purpose. Even the pedestrians were not allowed to cross the barriers.
During the prayers, security arrangements were made by volunteers who searched every person intending to offer the Juma prayers at Imambargah Ali Raza. About 5,000 policemen and 1,000 Rangers personal were deployed to ensure peace and security.
To avert any untoward incident, IGP Syed Kamal Shah had declared 'red alert' on the occasion. Leaves of police officials were cancelled. Heavy contingents of law-enforcement agencies were deployed all along the route of the procession.
Different scouts had pitched their tents to guide and assist the mourners. The traffic police closed M. A. Jinnah Road to normal traffic to facilitate the procession. However, they miserably failed to maintain a smooth flow vehicular traffic. As a result, commuters remained trapped in deluge of vehicles at many places for several hours.
The Jamshed Road-Teen Hatti section was also closed to normal traffic and the vehicles coming towards this section were diverted to Jail Road, Nishter Road and other arteries. The closure of Jehangir Road also caused clogging on S. M. Taufiq Road in Liaquatabad and other nearby roads and streets.
The vehicles diverted to Garden from Lasbella due to the closure of Guru Mandir roundabout, caused prolonged jams on Nishtar Road throughout the day. The situation aggravated when traffic from Pak Colony was also diverted to Nishter Road.
Sharea Faisal remained crowded with vehicles as most of motorists found it the only route open. Traffic jams were witnessed at Metropole, Regent Plaza, Gora Qabristan, Masjid-i-Roomi, Nursery, and other sections of Sharea Faisal. -PPI
