KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said on Friday that the provincial government had taken all-out precautions to ensure security during Ashura as the province was safe because of intelligence-based targeted operation and close coordination among all the law enforcement agencies.

Talking to the media during his visit to the route of the 9th Muharram procession on M. A. Jinnah Road, he said that the mobile phone service had been suspended on Ashura due to security reasons.

Accompanied by Labour Minister Saeed Ghani, Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab, Chief Secretary Sohail Rajput and Inspector General of Police Ghulam Nabi Memon, he said: “The terrorist threats can be averted through technology; therefore, internet and cell phone services have been suspended.”

Similarly, he said, some streets were closed and traffic was diverted as a precautionary measure to ensure foolproof security to the mourners.

CM Shah said that he had been reviewing the security situation in the province and giving necessary instructions to the police, Rangers, and other security agencies. “Our law enforcement agencies are alert and working hard for the peace and security in the province,” he said.

He said that he had visited the entire route of the procession, entry, and exit points, parking lots and deployment of policemen and other security personnel. “We have tried to make foolproof security arrangements and Inshallah everything will go as per plan,” he said.

Briefing the CM, the IGP said that the main Ashura procession would emerge from Nishtar Park and culminate at Hussainian Iranian Imambargah via Numaish, M.A Jinnah Road, Mansfield Street, Preedy Street, Tibet Centre, Boulton Market, Bombay Bazaar, Kharadar and Nawab Mahabbat Road.

The CM was told that 4,698 policemen had been deployed for the security of the processions while CCTV coverage of the procession had also been made and it would be monitored from the main Control Room of the IG Office.

Published in Dawn, July 29th, 2023