PESHAWAR/DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Saturday said maintaining peace and ensuring the protection of public life and property during Muharram remained his government’s foremost priority, so authorities should utilise all available resources to ensure a peaceful and secure environment throughout the holy month.

He also said necessary steps should be taken to “facilitate” police personnel performing Muharram security duties, according to an official statement issued by the chief minister’s secretariat.

The directions were issued during a meeting called at the Central Police Office here to review security arrangements for Muharram.

The meeting assessed the overall law and order situation, security plan and related measures across the province.

Police officials highlighted security arrangements made for Muharram and thereafter.

They said a total of 43,317 police personnel would be deployed across the province to perform security duties during the holy month.

The officials said comprehensive district-level security plans had been finalised, while the Command and Control Centre had been fully activated to monitor and coordinate security operations.

They said Section 144 had been enforced in various districts, while police patrolling, search-and-strike operations and snap checking were being carried out on a regular basis.

In Peshawar, Muharram processions and religious gatherings on Ashura will be monitored through the Safe City camera network, according to the statement.

Officials told participants that security measures for religious scholars had been enhanced and strict monitoring of social media platforms would continue to prevent the spread of hate material and misinformation.

They said out of 614 imambargahs across the province, 127 had been declared highly sensitive, 262 sensitive and 225 normal and that a total of 907 Muharram processions were expected to be taken out across the province, with 286 being highly sensitive, 190 sensitive and 431 normal.

The officials said eight districts had been declared highly sensitive and six districts sensitive with regard to Muharram security, for which special security arrangements had been put in place.

Police officials said modern technology and advanced security equipment would be utilised to strengthen security management and response mechanisms during Muharram.

The meeting was attended by information minister Shafi Jan, special assistant to the chief minister on home Tariq Saeed, chief secretary Shahab Ali Shah, provincial police chief Zulfiqar Hameed and senior police officials.

Meanwhile, the Dera Ismail Khan police on Saturday said around 8,500 police personnel had been deployed through the district to maintain law and order during Muharram.

According to a spokesman for police, personnel of the district police, Elite Force, Frontier Reserve Police (FRP) and Frontier Corps (FC) have been assigned security duties at mosques, imambargahs and procession routes throughout the district.

DPO Ziauddin Ahmad said the district had been divided into five zones and nine sectors where around 8,500 police officers and personnel would perform duties. He said a superintendent of police had been assigned to each zone, while deputy superintendents of police would supervise security in each sector.

The DPO said the police had established special checkposts at key locations and on entry and exit points of the city, while police mobile patrols would remain active on major roads.

He added that rooftop deployment at sensitive buildings and along procession routes had been arranged to enhance surveillance.

The DPO said that the district had 69 imambargahs and 26 of them were licensed, while 43 were traditional. He said 194 mourning processions would be taken out across the district until Ashura with 94 being licensed and 100 traditional. Also, more than 640 mourning gatherings will be held across the district on the day of Ashura.

According to the security plan, Elite Force and Frontier Constabulary personnel will be deployed, while the Quick Reaction Force of Pakistan Army will remain alert.

Published in Dawn, June 21st, 2026