January 08, 2009	Thursday	Muharram 10, 1430

KHAIRPUR, Jan 7: Strict security arrangements have been made in the city for Muharram 10, including monitoring of mourning processions and Majalis.

Rangers have been deployed in the city along with police and they have set up pickets at main roundabouts, particularly in sensitive areas.

Khairpur DCO Mohammad Iqbal Memon presided over a meeting to finalise arrangements to maintain law and order in the district during Muharram. EDO (Revenue) Ahmed Ali Qureshi and other officers of different departments attended the meeting.

The meeting expressed dissatisfaction over the performance of the Sui Southern Gas Company, Hesco, PTCL and the taluka municipal administrations.

The DPO told the meeting that 417 mourning processions were taken out in the district during Ashura.

He said that Punj Gulla Chowk, Chhatti Chowk, Thalla Muhalla Ali Raza Shah, Jado Shah Chowk, Railway Crossing, Luqman Railway Crossing, Suk Pul, Garhi Pul, Jagir Ali Akbar, Khuhra, Gadeji, Gambat, Bhango Behin, Manghanwari and Therhi bypass had been declared sensitive areas.

The DCO directed Hesco officials to avoid electricity loadshedding during Muharram.

Meanwhile, the district administration has banned the speeches of Allama Ali Sher Hyderi, Abdul Rasheed Narejo, Moulana Paryal Shah, Abdul Karim Mari, Mohammad Siddique, Mohammad Siddique Solangi, Abdul Hameed Lund, Aslam Rajput, Moulana Manzoor Solangi, Moulana Abdul Ghafoor Janwari, Moulana Asad Ali Shar and Moulana Ghulam Asghar Dasti.

Meanwhile, four towns of Umerkot district have been declared sensitive area and security has been beefed in the district to prevent any untoward incident.

Umerkot DPO Hafiz Abdul Hadi Bullo told journalists during flag march in Umerkot and Kunri towns that Dhoronaro, Kunri, Samaro and Umerkot had been declared sensitive areas. He added that 560 policemen had been deployed in the district to maintain law and order and prevent any untoward incident.

He said that entire routes of Muharram 10 mourning processions would be heavily manned by police and Rangers. Streets leading to the routes would remain blocked with barbed wires, he added.

In Sanghar district also, security arrangements have been beefed up for 10th Muharram.