PESHAWAR, Feb 8: The main Muharram procession of the city was taken out in the cantonment area amid tight security to mourn the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) and his companions.

Police contingents were deployed on the procession’s route and rooftops of adjacent buildings to avert any untoward situation. Volunteers of civil defence, scouts and the Cantonment Peace Committee assisted the law-enforcement agencies in maintaining the law and order.

All roads leading to the venue of the procession were heavily guarded and people belonging to other sects were not allowed to go near the procession. Shops on routes of the procession remained closed.

The number of people in the procession was relatively less because of cold weather and the fear of a terrorist strike. Last year, several people were killed and injured in firing on a procession in Quetta.

The participation in the procession was also affected by news that two Lashkar-e-Janghvi activists blew themselves up on Friday as the police tried to arrest them when they were planning for a suicide attack on the Muharram procession.

The provincial police chief Riffat Pasha and capital city police chief Habibur Rahman visited the venue of the procession and apprised themselves of the security arrangements.

The main procession of Zuljinnah and Taazia was brought out from the Imambargah Hussainia Hall on the Saddar Road. Earlier, addressing the devotees, renowned Shia scholars highlighted the Karbala incident and said that mourners would perpetually condemn the brutality. They said that rallying against cruelty was the legacy of the martyrs of Karbala.

The procession passed through the Fakhr-e-Alam Road, Tipu Sultan Road and Kalabari and culminated at the Imambargah Hussania Hall.

On the Ashura day (today), Taazia and Zuljinnah procession would be brought out from various Imambargahs in the city. The biggest procession wouldbe brought out from the Imambargah Kocha Agha Syed Ali Shah at Chari Koban and another from the Imambargah Agha Syed Alam Shah at the Kochi Bazaar.

In the afternoon processions were to be taken out from Imambargah Haji Rehman Malik at Mohallah Marvi, Kohati Gate, Imambargah Tehkhana Gulbacha Jee, Imambargah Haider Shah near Jehangirpura and Imambargah Agha Syed Mir Fazal Shah in Mohallah Khudadad at the Qissakhwani Bazaar.

NWFP chief secretary Ijaz Ahmed Qureshi and IGP Muhammad Raffat Pasha on Friday night visited various Imam Bargahs at Peshawar city and cantonment area as well as Police Command Post at Kohati gate where they reviewed security arrangements.

Chief Capital police officer Muhammad Habibur Rehman, SSP Operation Saeed Khan Wazir and other police officers accompanied them on the occasion.

During their visit, they went to Imambargahs Syed Haider Shah, Adil Baig, Syed Alam shah Jafari, Syed Najam-ul-Hasan and Alam Dar Hussain in the city and Imam Bargah Hussainia Hall in the Cantonment area and reviewed the security arrangements.