RAWALPINDI: Traders of Raja Bazaar refused to accept the request made by local police to close shops in Raja Bazaar for two days on Muharram 7 and Muharram 9.

The request was made because the main mourning procession on Muharram 7 will pass through the city and according to police closing the bazaar would ensure security of the procession as well as prevent sectarian clashes.

However, the traders labelled the request as ‘irrational’ as closing shops for two days will cause loss in revenue.

The city police officer held a meeting with traders at his office. Senior police officers, Rawalpindi Traders Association President Sharjeel Mir, Sheikh Saleem, Sheikh Asif, Haroon Shah and others attended the meeting.

“Traders had been requested to close their shops on Muharram 7 and Muharram 9 as police wanted no hurdles in the way of the procession. It will ensure closure of roads to traffic along the traditional route,” said a police official requesting not to be named.

He said the local administration and police made an illogical plan to impose Section 144 on pillion riding from Muharram 1 to 10. The home department rejected the plan and said Section 144 should be imposed from Muharram 7 onwards, as most processions will be brought out then.

He said the provincial government also asked the local administration to install CCTV cameras along the procession routes to keep an eye on all activity and record footage of main procession at the control room.

“We will close the bazaars on Muharram 10 in respect of Ashura, as per routine,” said Rawalpindi Traders Association President Sharjeel Mir while talking to Dawn.

“The Muharram 7 procession is taken out in the night and shops will be closed in the evening. The police will have more than six to eight hours to depute police personnel and close the roads. Closure of bazaars and markets for the entire day will give rise to unnecessary fear in the area,” he said.

He said Muharram 9 procession was also taken out at night and there was no need to close shops in the morning. He said shopkeepers also suffered financial losses last year when the city witnessed sectarian violence and curfew for three days.

He said shopkeepers had still not been compensated for damages, adding that more than 120 shops were burnt in Raja Bazaar and shopkeepers demanded complete construction of shops as soon as possible.

Published in Dawn, October 29th , 2014