Karachi police have issued a security and traffic management plan for processions on the 8th, 9th and 10th of Muharram.

A spokesperson for the Karachi police said 4,698 police personnel had been deployed for the security of Muharram processions.

The contingent included 3,746 head constables/constables, 123 women police personnel, 178 commandos of the Special Security Unit and personnel of the Rapid Response Force.

The spokesperson added that 90 snipers of the Special Security Unit had been deployed on the sides and passages of the main procession.

According to the traffic plan issued, on 8th Muharram, a procession will start from Nishtar Park and end at Hussainian Iranian Imambargah in Kharadar.

The procession will go through Nishtar Park, Sir Shah Nawaz Bhutto Road, Mehfil-i-Shah-i-Khurasan, MA Jinnah Road (point a), Mansfield Street, Preedy Street, Tibet Chowk, MA Jinnah Road (point b), Baba-e-Urdu, Bara Imam, Nishtar Road, Altaf Hussain Road, Bolton Market, MA Jinnah Road (point c), Nawaz Mahabat Khanjee Road, Bombay Bazar, Kharadar Police Station to Hussainian Iranian Imambargah.

On 9th Muharram (Friday), a procession will be taken out from Martin Road Imambargah, Liaquatabad at 9am. It will reach Nishtar Park at 12pm, where a Majlis will be held.

Afterwards, the procession will be taken out from Nishtar Park for Hussainian Iranian Imambargah, Kharadar, via Sir Shah Nawaz Bhutto Road, Mehfil-i-Shah-i-Khurasan, MA Jinnah Road (point a), Mansfield Street, Preedy Street, Tibet Chowk, MA Jinnah Road (point b), Bolton Market, Bombay Bazaar, Kharadar, Nawaz Mahabat Khanjee Road and then to Hussainian Iranian Imambargah.

The procession will follow the same route on 10th Muharram (Saturday) as well.

The press release said that as soon as the procession will start from Nishtar Park, all vehicular traffic coming from the city side will be diverted towards Soldier Bazaar Road (Bahadur Yar Jang Road), Coast Guard, Ankle Seria Chowk to Jubilee or Nishtar Road.

All traffic coming from Nazimabad will be diverted from Lasbela towards Nishtar Road and Zoological Gardens.

All traffic coming from the Liaquatabad side will be diverted onto Martin Road towards the Central Jail Karachi.

This diverted traffic will be allowed to proceed to Central Jail, Jamshed Road, Dada Bhoy Noorji Road, Kashmir Road, Shahrah-e-Quaideen and Shahrah-e-Faisal.

Incoming traffic from the Stadium Road side will proceed via New MA Jinnah Road and will be diverted to Dada Bhoy Noorji Road, Kashmir Road, Society Light Signal, Shahrah-e-Quaideen onto Shahrah-e-Faisal.

Meanwhile, traffic coming from the Super Highway and Gulberg side will be diverted from Liaquatabad No 10 towards Nazimabad No 2. It will then proceed via the Habib Bank Flyover, Estate Avenue Road and Sher Shah to Maripur Road — adopting the same route for return.

Traffic from the National Highway side will be diverted from Rashid Minhas Road towards Stadium Road, Sir Shah Suleman Road, Hassan Square, Liaquatabad No 10, Nazimabad No 2. It too will proceed via the Habib Bank Flyover, Estate Avenue Road and Sher Shah to Maripur Road, adopting the same route for return.

The press release added that all kinds of traffic would be restricted from proceeding along the procession’s route from Guru Mandir and will instead be diverted to Bahadar Yar Jang Road.

Additionally, vehicles from Shahrah-e-Quaideen will not be allowed to go towards Numaish — except for those participating in the procession and having stickers showing permission — and will be diverted to Society Signal.

Traffic from MA Jinnah Road will not be allowed to proceed to Saddar via Preedy Street, Aga Khan III Road and Mansfield Road.

Meanwhile, traffic from the Zoological Garden and Aga Khan III road will be allowed till Anklesaria Hospital.

The traffic plan outlined the following routes for participants in the processions:

• From Nazimabad side to Lasbela, Albela, left side of Garden Jamat Khana, Britto Road, Soldier Bazaar No 3 Signal to Numaish
• Liaquatabad, Teen Hatti, Jahangir Road, Gurumandir to Numaish
• Society Light Signal to Numaish
• Gulistan-e-Jauhar and Gulshan-e-Iqbal, University Road, Kashmir Road, Society Light Signal to Numaish