LAHORE: The Shia community will take out the scheduled main procession on the Chehlum of Hazrat Imam Hussain on Tuesday (today) instead of organising several smaller processions.

The decision was reached during a meeting between the Shia leaders and Lahore police on Monday.

The meeting was attended by Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Ghulam Mahmood Dogar, the Lahore commissioner and prominent Shia leaders and administration of the main mourning procession, including Agha Hussain Qazalbash, Azadari Council Punjab Chairman Syed Khurram Abbas and Syed Qasim Ali Shah.

Talking to Dawn, the CCPO said both the groups of the Shia community had agreed in principle to follow the standard operating procedures (SOPs) devised for Chehlum.

He said the meeting was called especially to devise a final strategy to convince all stakeholders to reach a unanimous decision.

According to a statement issued by police, the Shia community leaders appealed to the mourners to participate in the main procession to ensure law and order instead of taking out individual group processions.

It said the Lahore commissioner had informed the Shia leaders about the government orders on small processions.

The participants in the meeting agreed with the decision of the government to not to bring out small processions.

The Shia leaders, including Syed Muhammad Lal Shah, Syed Zawar Hussain Shamsi and Malik Muhammad Yaqoob Awan, also asked the community members to participate in the main mourning procession, the police statement added.

Published in Dawn, September 28th, 2021