KOHAT: The district administration of Hangu has warned the jirga of both the Sunni and Shia elders that if anybody created trouble during Muharram it will have no choice, but to impose curfew and ban procession through bazaar route.

District police officer Shah Nazar while chairing a jirga of the Sunni and Shia elders at his office on Saturday told them to play their role in maintenance of peace during Muharram.

He told the jirga that it was irritating that for the past several years the issue of route of the procession arose during Muharram despite assurances given by them to the administration.

Mr Nazar told Dawn on phone from Hangu that providing security to the procession was the duty of the administration, but both the sides should not raise any new issue.

He said that the same route would be adopted which was followed in 2014 and no change would be made in this regard.

The procession would be taken out from Gangiano Kallay and after passing through Shahu chowk culminate at Shahu road. A total of 350 yards of the route fall in the Hangu bazaar, he added.

Answering a question, he said that he was sure that this year Muharram would pass peacefully and the administration was fully alert to thwart any untoward situation.

He said that the army troops could be called out if the situation required, but so far he felt no need of it as extraordinary measures had been taken for the safety of the procession and imambargahs.

He said that he was confident that things would move in the right direction in the light of the jirga meeting and its positive response.

The jirga was attended by Maulana Abdul Sattar, Shah Hussain advocate, Haji Jalil of Ibraheemzai, Zaheer Hussain of Gangiano Kallay, Shad Mohammad and other prominent leaders from both the sides.

It may be recalled that TTP had targeted a Muharram procession in Hangu in 2006 over a dispute that it should not be allowed to pass through the bazaar and instead culminate in the same mohallah from where it was taken out.

Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2015

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