ISLAMABAD/RAWALPINDI: Due to fears of sectarian violence in the twin cities on Monday and Tuesday, unprecedented levels of security would be on display over the two days marking the end of the 10-day Muharram mourning.

Army troops and Rangers will assist the police of both the cities to ensure peace. But the garrison city of Rawalpindi looks more on edge as a letter found outside the residence of the caretaker of Imambargah Qadeemi early Saturday morning threatened a massacre of Shia Muslims the same evening.

Though the threat delivered in the name of TTP Punjab on Saturday was not carried out, Regional Police Officer Akhtar Umar Hayat Laleka said the “Rawalpindi police will be on ‘red alert’ on the day of Ashura (Tuesday) because of the threats emanating from outside the city.”

Entry of over 100 firebrand clerics from Shia and Sunni sects had been banned in the two cities to prevent them from inciting sectarian hatred during Muharram.

Surveillance cameras, a special-purpose police vehicle with night vision facilities and Wi-Fi-equipped police escort will monitor the Ashura procession all the way.

“We will be watching the progress of the procession minute by minute,” the officer added.

Police investigations into the threat letter did not lead to its source, still senior officers thought it better to reinforce the security measures as the scars of last year’s bloody clashes and arson between the violent followers of the two main Muslim sects on the religious occasion have not healed yet.

Intelligence sources said the threat letter found outside the house of Raja Zahoor, mutawalli (caretaker) of the Imambargah Qadeemi had an AK-47 assault rifle sitting on the map of the Imambargah and the photograph of a person who signed as ‘Musa Deshat Gard’.

Its text said, “TTP Punjab will eliminate Shias and will destroy and kill them on the procession ending at the Imambargah on Saturday.”

Shia Muslims’ main Ashura procession in Rawalpindi is likely to terminate late Tuesday night.

In line with the Punjab home department’s instructions, special vehicles having the ability to jam explosive and remote controlled time devices will be patrolling the route of Ashura procession.

Three layers of security will be in place on the day, with all link roads along the route of procession sealed off by shipping containers and razor wire and nobody would be allowed to join the procession without security check.

Security preparations in Islamabad

Islamabad’s Shia community will observe similar rituals on Monday. Their rituals will be confined to Sector G-6 of the city, but about 5,000 police, Rangers and Frontier Constabulary personnel have been deployed to keep the peace of the federal capital on the occasion.

Federal police have obtained assurances from religious figures of both sects to keep peace of the city and would take action against organizers of Majlis and other rituals in case of violation of agreed route and schedule.

SHOs of police stations have orders to be present at the places of Majalis where walk through gates have been installed. Woman police have been deputed for the female gatherings at Imambargahs.

High Alert at Pims

Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) has been put on high alert to deal with any untoward situation. As many as 250 beds will be available during the high alert.

Vice Chancellor of Pims Dr Javed Akram told Dawn that leaves of staff have been cancelled and specialists asked to ensure their availability in emergency. “Female staff will be accommodated in the hostel of the Pims for the duration of emergency,” he said.

Similarly, the management of Polyclinic has taken steps to ensure that 2,400 doctors and staff are available in the hospital.

Arrangements by CDA

In order to avoid inconvenience and to make the routes of Muharram processions safe the Capital Development Authority has trees the trees and bushes and cleaned the nullahs on the route Muharram procession, according to the CDA Member Administration and Estate Amer Ali Ahmed.

All the street lights on the routes and around the Imam Bargahs have been checked to provide proper light after dark, the officer informed CDA chief Maroof Afzal.

Meanwhile, the CDA has suspended the Weekly Tuesday Bazaars I-9 and H-9 on account of Ashura-e-Muharam on November 4.

More importantly, CDA’s municipal workers have been consistently checking that wall chalking or banners with hatred material do not appear in the city.

In Rawalpindi, the hotbed of sectarian turmoil, more than 200 cases have been registered on the charge of violating the ban on use of loud speakers.

RPO Laleka, however, denied that any cleric had been detained by the district administration or arrested by the police on the eve of Ashura. “All clerics are co-operating with police in maintaining peace,” he said.

Published in Dawn, November 3rd, 2014