HYDERABAD:Several hundred small and big processions were taken out in all cities and towns of the interior of Sindh on Thursday to observe the Chehlum of Hazrat Imam Hussain amid strict security arrangements made by the provincial government and law enforcement agencies.

In Hyderabad, the central procession was taken out from Qadam Gah Maula Ali.

Participants along with Zuljanah and Tabarukat walked on the traditional route of the procession before reaching Karbala Dadan Shah.

Strong contingents of the police and Rangers maintained a strict check on miscreants but no untoward incident took place. The contingents escorted the mourners all along the route from Station Road to the Karbala Dadan Shah via Risala Road and Saddar Bazaar. Fire tenders and ambulances were at the disposal of the organisers.

All streets leading to the procession route were blocked with barbed wire.In Sukkur, the main procession was taken out from the central Imambargah which ended peacefully due to strict security arrangements.

In Mirpur Mathelo town of Ghotki district, several processions were taken out from different areas but during the course of the mourning the Shia Ulema Council (SUC) held a sit-in at Bhitai Chowk against police for obstructing mourners.

All shops along the the procession route were sealed off and the roads and streets leading to the route were closed to the general public. The markets, bazaars, shopping malls and commercial areas at Clock Tower and on Shikarpur Road, Barrage Road, Pan Mandi, Shaheed Ganj, Station Road, Gharibabad and Hussaini Road remained closed.

Mourning processions from other towns and areas including Kandhra, Rohri, Bagarji, Baberloi, Bachal Shah Miani, Dreha and Ali Wahan also arrived at Clock Tower to join in the main procession.

Organisers of the processions had set up numerous medical camps to provide treatment to the mourners injured during the flagellation.

The sit-in was led by Maulvi Nasrullah, Gulan Shah, Shabbir Hussain Shah, Zulfiqar Pitafi, Zafar Lashari and others, who said personnel of the Kashmore police tried to arrest some participants in the procession and blocked its way.

In Jacobabad, a closure was observed to facilitate the Chehlum. Barricades were set up to restrict movement of vehicular traffic in the city.

Police and Rangers personnel remained on alert throughout the day.

Many processions were taken out from small and big Imambargahs under the aegis of Shia organisations whose volunteers maintained discipline and helped security forces to ensure law and order.

In Mirpukhas, processions were taken out from Azakhana Zehra, Azakhana Noor Hussain Shah, Haidery Masjid, Azakhana Nawazish Ali Shah, Bukhari Pir and imambargahs under strict security measures.

Police and Rangers personnels escorted the mourners from the starting and culminating points of all processions. In Badin, a number of small and big processions were taken out to observe the Chehlum.

Flag march was conducted to and patrolling by mechanised police contingents were done to ensure peace on the occasion.

Shia leaders speaking to participants in several processions criticised the district administration and municipal committee officials for failing to ensure cleanliness along the routes of the procession despite repeated appeals. They said that sewage and garbage littered the routes causing trouble to mourners.

Small procession taken out from Imambargahs in Matli, Badin, Pahar Marri, Talhar, Kadhan, Golarchi and other towns as well as villages passed through their traditional routes and ended peacefully.

Mourning processions were also taken out in Mithi, Islamkot, Nagarparkar, Chhachhro, Kaloi, Dahli and other areas of Tharparkar district.

Police and Rangers personnel deployed along the routes of the procession maintained law and order until mourners dispersed peacefully.

Published in Dawn, December 4th, 2015