RAWALPINDI: City District Government Rawalpindi (CDGR) has banned the entry of 35 religious scholars of various sects into the district, just two days ahead of Muharram.

Of the scholars whose entries have been banned, 18 are from the Deoband sect, two from Barelivi and 15 are Shias. The decision was taken after some of the scholars attended the inauguration of the Taleemul Quran seminary on Thursday, which was burnt during sectarian riots in Ashura on November 15, 2013, along with a mosque and a cloth market, which were reconstructed with funds provided by the provincial government.

Among those who attended the inauguration were Maulana Ahmed Ludhanvi, Maulana Matiuullah, Maulana Aurangzeb Farooqi, Maulana Abdur Rehman Shakir and others.

After it facilitated the Taleemul Quran seminary administration, the provincial government was assured by the seminary administration and religious scholars that the doors of the seminary and the mosque will be closed during the main Ashura procession.

Some of the ulema attended the inauguration of the Taleemul Quran seminary on Thursday

The seminary, mosque and clothe market are situated along the route taken by the procession and the local administration wanted to close the gates to the seminary and mosque, which open on the main Raja Bazaar Road, which was opposed by traders in the cloth market.

Traders in the Madina Cloth Market argued that their business will suffer due to the move as people will have to enter the market via the back, however, the seminary administration said they will close the doors during Ashura and other events. The CDGR and the provincial government agreed to construct the main road but reduced its width.

District Coordination Officer (DCO) Talat Mehmood Gondal told Dawn that the religious scholars had been banned from entering the district in order to avoid sectarian violence and to maintain peace.

“CDGR took religious scholars into confidence regarding security measures and avoiding sectarian clashes such as the one in 2013. I think there will be peace in Muharram as the provincial government has made it clear that it will not tolerate such incidents,” he said.

“There will be no changes to the traditional route of the Muharram procession but majalis without licences will not be allowed. Security will be provided and participants of processions will be facilitated,” he said.

The DCO added that the 10 kilometre route of the main Ashura procession from Qadeemi Imambargah to Raja Bazaar and back will be closely monitored via CCTV cameras.

He said civic bodies had been asked to repair roads and streetlights in the city and that people should keep an eye on those who want to disturb peace in the city.

Published in Dawn, October 1st, 2016