KOHAT, Dec 7: Panic and fear gripped people when several rockets were fired at Kohat and Hangu cities on Youm-i-Ashur, injuring three persons including two security men.
The rockets began to rock residential areas in Kohat around 9am on Tuesday. The attack continued for more than an hour.
The first rocket hit a grocery market in the main bazaar on the route of Ashura procession, damaging a shop and a mosque. Miraculously, policemen deployed at the roof of the shops remained unhurt in the attack. However, a man received minor injuries in the attack. He was taken to hospital for treatment.
After a while the second rocket hit Al-Hafiz Public School and College in Garhi Atta Khan locality of the city without causing any loss of life.
The third rocket fell on a house just behind the imambargah of Syed Habib Shah. It caused damage to the house.
After the rocket attack, security forces targeted the mountains near tribal town Darra Adamkhel with artillery shelling. Later, a helicopter gunship was sent to the gun manufacturing town to pound suspected hideouts of militants.
In Hangu, two security men received injuries when unidentified militants fired six rockets at the main bazaar in the early hours of Ashura.
The Shia elders had accepted the request of administration and Sunnis to abandon their plan of procession on Ashura owing to threat of terrorism.
The Sunni community had been demanding that mourners should not take out procession because the whole bazaar had been torched twice during Muharram in the past causing losses worth billions of rupees to businessmen.
The mourners just fulfilled the formality of brining out procession by coming few meters outside the imambargah and than returned inside.
In Mansehra, Ashura was observed with traditional zeal and fervour. Heavy contingents of police were deployed at the imambargah and procession routes to avert any untoward situation.
The Ashura processions were taken out from Imam Hussain Imambargah at Mufti Abad and Parain Imambargah and culminated after marching thought the specified routes.
In Nowshera, two processions were taken on Ashura out amid tight security.
They mourners paid glowing tributes to the martyrs of Karbala, vowing that they were ready to follow the teaching of Hazrat Iman Hussain.
In Lakki Marwat, Ashura was observed with religious reverence and solemnity in the district. A procession was taken out from Mohallah Sayyedaan amidst tight security. Prominent Shia leader Syed Zahoor Abbas Shah Afgar Bukhari led the procession.
