RAWALPINDI: The district administration imposed Section 144 in the city and declared a public holiday in all schools and universities as well as government departments for the Chehlum of Imam Husain on Friday.

All markets in Raja Bazaar and adjoining areas will remain closed. The metro bus service will also be unavailable. The police closed the main route of the mourning procession with containers on Thursday night.

Seminaries around the traditional route of the procession, including Taleemul Quran madressah in Raja Bazaar, have already declared a holiday. The police have been asked to remain vigilant, especially about the workers of a religious party staging a sit-in in Faizabad.

The district administration has also set up a control room from where the route of the Chehlum procession will be monitored through CCTV cameras.

Mobile phone services will also remain suspended from 10am to 10pm along the route of the procession.

Acting Commissioner Talat Mehmood told Dawn that army’s 17 companies and two companies of Rangers would help the district administration and the police maintain peace in case of an emergency.

He said section 144 had been imposed and no public gathering, except the mourning procession, would be allowed in the district. He said the ban on the use of loudspeakers would also be implemented.

“The organisers of the mourning procession have been asked to ensure the timetable agreed upon by them and the administration,” he said.

Meanwhile, the acting commissioner reviewed arrangements for the Chehlum procession and asked religious leaders belonging to different schools of thought to play their role in maintaining peace in the city. He said religious leaders of all sects would lead the procession along with the district administration officials and police.

Traffic plan

The city traffic police have chalked out a plan for the chehlum under which there will be 24 diversions. The police will deploy 270 officials to ensure smooth flow of traffic in the city.

Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Shahid Yousuf said DAV College Road would be closed and no vehicle would be allowed towards Fawara Chowk from the college chowk as the procession would reach there.

Traffic from Novelty Cinema to Kashmiri Bazaar will be diverted towards Transit Camp for Saddar. Another diversion will be put in place near the city police station where traffic coming from Novelty Cinema will be diverted towards Gunjmandi.

From Gunjmandi, all traffic will be diverted to Dhoke Hassu, Pirwadhai, to reach Saddar.

At Shah Allah Ditta Road, the traffic will be diverted towards Dhoke Dalal and TB Hospital, Asghar Mall Chowk.

Motorists have been advised not to take Banni Chowk, Kartarpura Road and Jamia Masjid Road when the procession would be passing from there. Another diversion will be put in place at Roshan Bakery near Banni Chowk where traffic coming from link roads will be sent back. The traffic will take the Circular Road via Saidpur Road to reach Murree Road. Another diversion will be from Hamilton Road where vehicles will be allowed towards Bansanwala Bazaar, Dingi Khoi and Gunjmandi Road.

No traffic will be allowed from Bansanwala Chowk towards Jamia Masjid Road and there will be a diversion towards Pirwadhai road. Another diversion will be from Pir Choa Chowk towards Baltistani Imambara and the traffic will use Asghar Mall Scheme Chowk and Pirwadhai.

Published in Dawn, November 10th, 2017