RAWALPINDI: As many as 38 ulema belonging to various schools of thought have been banned from entering the district while 6,000 to 8,000 police personnel will be deployed to maintain peace in Muharram.

On the other hand, the city traffic police have chalked out a special traffic plan with the deployment of 1,191 personnel to maintain traffic.

Briefing mediapersons, police officials said 6,000 to 8,000 police personnel will be deployed on a daily basis for security of processions/gatherings in Muharram.

A mechanism has also been set up to monitor social media posts that could spread sectarian strife. For this purpose volunteers have been trained and their scrutiny from the Special Branch is underway.

The routes of all processions are being checked under the supervision of senior officers while meetings are being held with stakeholders, founders of imambargahs and management of processions/gatherings. Foolproof security will be provided to all processions, including five central processions.

In all, 447 processions and 1,925 majalis will be held in the district and sensitive places have been identified along the routes of the processions.

All shops, hotels and stalls along the procession routes will remain closed and surety bonds are being taken from owners of houses, shops and hotels along the routes of the processions so that no unrelated person resides with them.

Moreover, persons included in the fourth schedule are being closely monitored by the police. During the processions, traffic plan will be implemented for the convenience of the citizens.

All new processions/assemblies except traditional licensed processions will not be allowed and legal action will be taken against violators.

Published in Dawn, August 10th, 2021