PESHAWAR, Jan 31: Like other parts of the country, Yum-i-Ashur was observed with great religious reverence and solemnity in the NWFP and Fata on Tuesday to commemorate the supreme sacrifices rendered by Hazrat Imam Hussain and his companions at Karbala for the survival and supremacy of Islam.

In Peshawar about 30 Alm and Zuljinnah processions were taken out from different Imambargahs of the city preceded by Majalis addressed by the Ulema and Zakireen who threw light on the philosophy of the great tragedy of Karbala and the supreme sacrifice of Hazrat Imam-i-Hussain.

During the processions, Salams, Nohas and Marsias were recited by different Noha Khwan with mourners beating their chests with hands and some of them flagellating.

The main mourning procession, which was taken out from the Qissa Khwani Akhoonabad and Imambargah Kocha Jan Muhammad, was peacefully terminated at the same place after passing through its traditional route.

The small Alm and Zuljinnah processions, which were taken out from Kohati gate amid tight security, also joined the main procession.

The provincial administration had made elaborate security arrangements to stop terrorists from committing any act of terror during the observance of the holy event.

NWFP Inspector-General of Police Sharif Virk and Chief of the Capital City Police Dr Abdul Majeed Marwat made a number of visits to sensitive spots to monitor the security arrangements.

A long queue of the vehicles of police, doctors, fire brigade and highs-ups of the provincial administration with hundreds of policemen, accompanied by the FC contingents, were seen standing alert throughout the procession route to check any untoward incident.

The movement of irrelevant people was strictly prohibited in sensitive areas and roads leading to these places were properly manned by members of the law-enforcement agencies. Police mobiles teams were patrolling all sensitive spots continuously.

In DI Khan, several small processions were taken out from various Imambargahs. These processions, after passing through traditional routes, peacefully terminated at the Koti Imam. Similar processions were taken out in Kohat, Nowshera, Hangu and Parachinar in the Kurram Agency.

In the evening, a number of Majlis-i-Sham-i-Ghariban were held in Imambargahs situated in Qissa Khwani, Koocha Risaldar, Chowk Nasir Khan, Kohati and other parts of the NWFP.—APP