RAWALPINDI: Five companies of Pakistan Army and Six companies of Rangers will be deployed in Rawalpindi to help administration and police to maintain peace during Muharram.

Besides, arrangements have been finalised for 4,374 majalis and 1,003 processions to be held in Rawalpindi division.

The district administration has banned the entry of 169 religious leaders and zakireen in the district and also issued gagging orders for 89 clerics during Muharram.

As many as 184 people have been placed in the Fourth Schedule in Rawalpindi This was informed in the meeting of Punjab Cabinet Committee on Law and Order.

Punjab Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique chaired the meeting at the Commissioner’s Office. Provincial Law Minister Malik Sohaib Ahmed Bherth, MNAs Tahira Aurangzeb and Malik Abrar were also present in the meeting. Provincial Industries Minister Chaudhry Shafi Hussain attended the meeting through video link.

Home Secretary Dr Ahmed Javed Qazi, Additional IG Special Branch Rao Abdul Karim and Additional IG Punjab Shahzada Sultan were also present. Commissioner Rawalpindi Aamer Khattak and RPO Babar Sarfaraz Alpa gave a briefing on the arrangements.

Deputy Commissioner Dr Hassan Waqar Cheema and other senior officials of Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum and Murree were also present in the meeting.

Khawaja Salman Rafique said that the zero tolerance policy should be adopted for violation of Muharram code of conduct, Timeliness should be ensured in processions and gatherings across Punjab.

He said that the best security arrangements are being ensured across Punjab especially in Rawalpindi division. He said that the atmosphere of inter-faith harmony and tolerance should be nurtured in Muharram.

He said apart from monitoring loudspeakers and social media, audio and video recordings of Majalis and processions should be compiled.

Provincial Law Minister Malik Sohaib Ahmed Bherth said that for a safe environment in Muharram, it is mandatory to strictly implement the SOPs issued by the Home Department. He said that the routes of the main procession will also be monitored through drone cameras.

The district administrations and local police have been asked to take strict action against sectarian and hateful content on social media and processions and gatherings across Punjab will be monitored through CCTV cameras.

Commissioner Aamer Khattak said arrangements for all processions had been completed in Rawalpindi Division, and orders were issued to ban the entry of firebrand speakers.

He said procession routes had been cleaned, patchwork and road repair carried out and hanging electric wires fixed.

Apart from this, he said coordination with scholars of all schools of thought had been ensured, adding that arrangements had been finalised by conducting division-wise tours. He further said that all scholars had been informed that neither any hate speech would be given nor firebrand speakers invited to avoid any untoward incident.

RPO Babar Sarfraz Alpa said that as Muslims we should respect each other’s beliefs, ideas and thoughts. At the end of the meeting, a collective prayer was also offered for national peace and security.

Published in Dawn, June 21st, 2025