PESHAWAR: Ashura day, the 10th of Muharram, passed off peacefully in the provincial capital and across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa amid tight security.

The government had deployed about 36,000 police personnel across the province to ensure security of the mourners and processions. The provincial government had declared Peshawar, Hangu, Kohat, DI Khan and Tank as the most sensitive districts for Muharram.

In Peshawar, 12 mourning processions were taken out from imambargahs located in the old city, which peacefully concluded after traversing their traditional routes. Sham-i-Ghariban majalis were held in 10 imambargahs.

Adviser to the chief minister for information, Mushtaq Ahmed Ghani, visited imambargahs and met Shia elders on the Ashura day. Talking to reporters at the police command post at Kohati area of the city, he said that the provincial government constantly monitored the situation across the province to ensure security of the mourners.

Ghani lauds traders for their cooperation

He said that the government had made strict security arrangements for mourners and processions in the provincial capital and other parts of the province.

He said that security steps taken by the government ensured peaceful observance of the Muharram. He also appreciated the city’s traders for keeping their shutters down for last three days of Muharram.

Rescue 1122 spokesperson Bilal Ahmed Faizi said that their ambulances and staff remained on alert throughout Muharram. He said that their staffers had provided treatment to at least 400 mourners during past two days.

In a statement issued here, the KP police said that observance of peaceful Muharram was a testimony to the effective strategy on part of police despite threats.

It said that KP police chief Nasir Khan Durrani visited the most sensitive districts to monitor the security arrangements.

It said that police also employed technical gadgetry to ensure surveillance of the processions. It said that the police deployed CCTV cameras, drone cameras and vehicle-mounted 360 degree cameras for the surveillance of processions to supplement the physical deployment of the personnel.

In Dera Ismail Khan, the Youm-i-Ashur was observed with religious zeal. Muharram processions were taken out from city and its adjoining areas of Paharpur, Kathgarh, Paraoa and Kulachi. The main mourners’ procession was taken out from Imambargah Bamun Shah which was joined by dozens of small processions. It culminated at Kotli Imam Hussain after marching through Muslim Bazaar and Chowgalia.

About 5,600 police personnel were deployed for protection of the mourners.

The jawans of Pakistan Army and FC backed up the security steps. Army helicopters with drone cameras also monitored the situation in the city and adjoining areas. Mobile phone services were kept suspended by the authorities on 10th of Muharam in the district.

In Mansehra, Ashura was observed under tight security on Wednesday.

The processions were taken out from Hussania Imambargah in Muftiabad and Pairan Khairabad Imambargah which marched through their specified routes. Heavy contingents of police were deployed in and around the imambargahs.

In Lakki Marwat, the Ashura was observed peacefully. The mourners took out a procession from the residence of Syed Zahoor Abbas Shah in Mohallah Sayyedan of Lakki city. Led by Shia leader Afgar Bukhari, the mourners passed through their traditional routes and the procession ended peacefully.

Published in Dawn, October 14th, 2016