RAWALPINDI: The Chehlum of Hazrat Imam Hussain (A.S.) and his companions was observed on Tuesday amid tight security in and around the city. Thousands of people participated in the procession. A large number of policemen and personnel of other law enforcement agencies had cordoned off the entire route of the procession since Monday night.
They had put barricades on the slip streets and roads along the route. Vehicles of bomb disposal squad, city fire brigade, Rescue 1122, ambulance squads of hospitals and technical sweeping personnel remained put on high alert.
Anti-riot personnel, plainclothesmen and police patrolled the city. However, no untoward incident was reported from any part of the city.
In their sermons, religious scholars threw light on the significance of the supreme sacrifices rendered by Imam Hussain and other martyrs of Karbala.
The scholars and Ulema cited portions from auspicious and thought-provoking addresses of Hazrat Bibi Zainab, sister of Imam Hussain, that she had delivered in the court of Yazeed and elsewhere after the Karbala tragedy.
They called upon the Ummah to follow the footprints of Imam Hussain and inculcate the spirit of sacrifice for the glory of Islam, while commemorating the most tragic incident of Islamic history.
The central Chehlum procession in Islamabad and Rawalpindi was taken out from Imambargah Ashiq Hussain Teli Mohallah, Imambargah Col Maqbool Hussain and Imambargah Hifazat Ali Shah Bohar Bazaar. Thousands of Azadars participated in the procession led by the central leadership of Tehreek Nifaz-i-Fiqah Jafariya.
Addressing the mourners and media during the main procession, TNFJ chief Allama Syed Hussain Muqadassi said that the war by US and Israel against Iran is unethical, adding that Iran proved that the people and the leadership of the country will not fall into any conspiracy of the West and would remain united.
He criticised the registration of cases against the organisers of mourning processions, mainly by the Punjab government, and said such a move would only encourage extremists.
As part of security, RPO Babar Sarfraz Alpa, Commissioner Rawalpindi Salman Ghani, CPO Hassan Mushtaq Sukhera and Deputy Commissioner retired Captain Nadeem Nasir monitored the arrangements.
Published in Dawn, August 5th, 2026
