PESHAWAR: The chehlum of martyrs of Karbala was observed peacefully in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with traditional reverence and solemnity on Sunday.

Several processions were taken out in Peshawar, Dera Ismail Khan, Kurram, Hangu, Kohat and other areas of the province.

The mobile phone service remained suspended on Saturday and Sunday in several areas of Peshawar. More than 4,000 police personnel were deployed in the city to maintain law and order.

Police also set up special checkpoints at the city’s entry and exit points and processions routes were swept by the bomb disposal unit and sniffer dogs.

A police statement said that all the means were being used to ensure peace on chehlum. It said that mobile jammers were used to jam mobile phone signals during the processions.

In Kohat, processions were taken out from Qaumi, Kalu and Syed Habib Imambargahs. The participants of the procession passed through their traditional routes to gather at Zargran Square amid tight security.

Several processions were also taken out in Hangu district and ulema delivered speeches in the imambargahs and at Zargran Square in Kohat. The mourners recalled the sacrifices of the martyrs of Karbala and paid tributes to them.

Deputy Inspector General of Police Hafeez Cheema, Brigade Commander Brig Shehzad and district police officer accompanied the processions as the mourners marched towards the culmination point.

The processions were also monitored through helicopters, drone cameras, and CCCTV cameras.

The bazaars remained closed in the city and the whole district.

The supply of vegetable and fruits was stopped to the district two days before the chehlum which created an acute shortage of edibles and increased their rates by 100 per cent.

Published in Dawn, October 21st, 2019