January 20, 2008	Sunday	Muharram 10, 1429

ISLAMABAD, Jan 19: About six suspected saboteurs were taken into custody here on Saturday as thousands of devout mourners put aside security concerns to attend the main Muharram procession of the federal capital a day ahead of Ashura.

A senior police official said the suspects were arrested from different locations while trying to infiltrate the security cordon. However, neither did he identify the arrested people nor say if anything was recovered from their possession. He said they would be questioned extensively.

Like every year, huge crowds mostly clad in black packed the 6km long route of the procession. Many mourners were beating their chests, while others flagellated themselves with knives fitted with chains amidst chants of ‘Ya Hussain!, Ya Hussain!’.

The participants recited Nohas and Salams, paying tributes to the martyrs of Karbala.

Among the highlights of the event were Tazia, Alam and Zuljinnah, which are traditionally part of such processions as part of the commemorations.

Banners had been fixed all along the route of the procession by various religious organisations inscribed with the sayings of Holy Prophet Muhammad and his descendants about the mourning and incident of Karbala.

Different volunteer organisations served food and drinks to the mourners and provided first aid.

The procession started after Zuharain (noon) prayers from Markazi Imambargah and ended late in the evening at the same place.

Unprecedented security was witnessed in the centre of the city.

The Markazi Imambargah in G-6 and the entire procession route was under a tight security cordon with around 3,000 security force members deployed.

The mourners had to pass through multiple security checkpoints manned mostly by young volunteers to reach the imambargah, the starting point of the procession.

Although, Ashura has been a flashpoint of violence in the country but Islamabad has over the years remained largely peaceful except for the bombing of a Muharram related congregation in Bari Imam in May 2005, which left 20 dead.

This year’s event had gained special significance in view of the recent spate of bombings that had swept the country including the killing of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto in Rawalpindi on December 27, and the last Thursday bombing of a majlis in Peshawar.

“Close to ten thousand attended the procession, and fortunately everything went ahead without incident,” said the police official after the culmination of the procession.

Speaking before the start of the procession, Allama Shabab Hussain Naqvi, who had come from Lucknow (India) to speak at the congregation, appealed for calm and peace. He said we just want to mourn and should be permitted to do so without any obstruction.