KARACHI: The main procession of Muharram 8th was taken out from Nishtar Park on Wednesday noon, which passed through various traditional routes and culminated at Husanian Iranian Imambargah in Kharadar amid tight security. No untoward incident was reported.

Several key roads leading to the procession route remained closed for traffic on Wednesday. The traffic was diverted to alternative routes.

As many as 1,600 police officers with 22 mobiles and 20 motorcycles were deployed along with the 3.5 kilometre stretch, where the procession passed through district South, said South SSP Omar Shahid Hamid.

Besides, the policemen were also deployed at 70 rooftops in the route.

IG to monitor security

Inspector General of Police Sindh Dr Syed Kaleem Imam on Wednesday monitored security of the central procession at the command and control system established at the Central Police Office with the help of closed-circuit television cameras installed at different places, said police spokesperson.

He directed the police to provide report of security monitoring on daily basis.

IG Imam also asked the officers of other districts for strengthening of coordination with Rangers and other law enforcement agencies so that intelligence could be shared on time to prevent any eventuality.

Mr Imam said he would personally monitor the Ashura security through the command and control system.

Pillion riding would remain suspended.

Mobile phone service to remain suspended

Meanwhile, citizens on Wednesday experienced partial suspension of cellular services in the city and other parts of Sindh.

Sindh home secretary Kazi Kabeer was quoted by media as saying that cell phone services would also remain suspended between 7am and 12 midnight on 9th and 10th of Muharram (Thursday and Friday) in different cities of Sindh, including Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Shaheed Benazirabad, Khairpur, Larkana, Shikarpur and Jacobabad.

However, the senior official added that in the provincial capital, the mobile phone service would be blocked only in areas near procession routes for the convenience of the public.

Mobile services are suspended every year during Ashura as part of security measures.

The provincial government has written a letter to the federal interior ministry and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), urging them to place a ban on mobile services/internet in major cities of Sindh on 8th, 9th and 10th of Muharram.

The ban on cell phone/internet was suggested in view of “apprehensions of coordination of criminal activity by miscreants/criminals through the use of cellular phones/internet during Muharram related majlis (religious gathering) and processions,” according to contents of the letter.

The cell phone companies could be asked to restore cellular services in case of an emergency, the letter read.

Several key roads in Karachi and other cities of Sindh will also remain closed for mourning processions on Thursday and Friday (today and tomorrow) and traffic from blocked roads will be diverted to alternative routes.

Published in Dawn, September 20th, 2018