RAWALPINDI: Citing intelligence that objectionable speeches/sermons may lead to law and order situation during Muharram, the local administration has banned the entry of 23 ulema in the district.

Besides, gagging orders have been issued against nine other religious personalities.

Meanwhile, surveillance of 33 individuals placed on the fourth schedule of the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997 has been started by a joint task force. However, two of the fourth schedulers are said to have been settled in Saudi Arabia.

The law enforcement agencies have been directed to keep vigilance on the fourth schedulers during Muharram and restrict their movement in addition to monitoring their communications.

An individual placed on the watch list of the ATA is bound to inform the concerned police before leaving their hometown and on return. Besides, the suspect is bound to inform the police about the place of their visit and individuals they meet.

The directives to ban the entry of 23 ulema and issue gagging orders against nine others were issued after an intelligence agency informed the Punjab government that activities of the religious personalities needed to be checked to ensure peace in Muharram. Seven of the nine religious personalities who have been gagged belong to the Deobandi and one each to the Shia and Ahle Hadith schools of thought.

They are: Maulana Umer Farooq, Maulana Ziaul Islam, residents of Wah Cantt; Mufti Tanveer Alam Farooqi, Khateeb Jamia Masjid Madni Shakrial Sadiqabad, Qari Khalid Mehmood, Khateeb Jamia Masjid Lower Bazaar Murree, Qari Rashid Mehmood Abbasi, Khateeb Jamia Masjid Khulfa-i-Rashdeen Murree, Mazhar Ali Kazmi, Mutwali Imambargah Murree, Dr Rizwanul Hussain, Mutwali Imambargah Lower Bazaar Murree, Mirza Hassan Askari, Mutwali Imambargah Lower Bazaar Murree and Prof Talibur Rehman Shah, Khateeb Jamia Masjid Ahle Hadith F-Block Satellite Town, Rawalpindi.

The 23 religious personalities whose entry in the district has been banned are: Maulana Moavia Azam, Maulana Masoodur Rehman Usmani, a resident of Islamabad and central leader of banned Millat-i-Islami Pakistan, Maulana Ahmed Shoaib Khan, Allama Mohammad Hussain and Maulana Mohammad Nawaz Baloch, Khushab.

A senior police official told Dawn that the police had been keeping vigilance on the fourth schedulers and religious personalities whose entry in the district had been banned.

Published in Dawn, September 15th, 2018