RAWALPINDI: Organisers of a Muharram 10, or Ashura, mourning procession violated the National Action Plan ban on the use of loudspeakers, but the police failed to stop the violators and take action against them.

Intelligence agencies had informed the federal and provincial governments of the incident, fearing that such violations could continue for the remainder of Muharram and cause a sectarian issue to erupt in the city that has already been declared sensitive to sectarian matters.

In a report, an intelligence agency also informed the government about violations about its directive against processions and rallies brought out without permission from the district government.

According to the report, 12 violations of the aforementioned directive occurred between Muharram 1 and Muharram 10 in the Rawalpindi district, but only seven cases of illegal processions were registered with the police.

The agency also expressed concern about the lack of checking of guests in hotels and inns in line with the standard operating procedures regarding obtaining the whereabouts of guests before Ashura. In addition, rooftop duties at several imambargahs and processions were found lacking.

The deployment of police personnel in Rawalpindi was deemed satisfactory by the agency’s field staff, but personnel were not found to be in alert positions at some locations.

City Police Officer (CPO) Israr Ahmed Abbasi said police have registered five FIRs regarding new processions that had not been brought out previously.

He said that whoever tried to introduce new processions or violate the procession route were booked by the police.

“Of the five cases, individuals nominated in two FIRs got pre-arrest bail, while the police have been after the others,” CPO Abbasi said.

Over 50 individuals were booked by the police for taking out Muharram processions without permission from the district administration in Tehli Moori and Sadiqabad on Sunday.

Mr Abbasi said he had not received any complaints about the violation of the ban of loudspeakers during Ashura, but added that if any violation is brought to his notice the police would act according to the law. The CPO was satisfied by the peaceful Ashura and said very few violations were noticed during Muharram, adding that the police would do its best to check such violations in the future.

Published in Dawn, October 14th, 2016