HYDERABAD, Nov 26: Barring a few untoward incidents, Ashura day passed off by and large peacefully across Sindh with thousands of people taking part in processions, congregations and other religious activities shrugging off potential threat of terror attacks.
Mourners reciting marsias and nohas and performing matam passed through the traditional routes of the procession. Carrying alams depicting the flag of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) in Karbala, the mourners were accompanied by tazia and Zuljinah.
Groups of volunteers from different organisations escorted the mourners and arrangements for emergency medical services were made by the religious organisations and respective town administrations.
Thousands of police personnel backed by Rangers provided security to mourners along the routes of the processions, around the religious places, in sensitive areas and at venues of congregations.
In Hyderabad, the main Ashura procession taken out from Qadam Gah Maula Ali terminated at Karbala Dadan Shah on Sunday.
Several small processions taken out from other localities of the city joined in the main procession.
Allama Syed Wasim Haider Zaidi delivered a sermon to a congregation of mourners.
Over 3,500 police personnel along with Rangers were deployed in different parts of the city to maintain peace in the city.
The bomb disposal squad equipped with modern gadgets checked routes of processions and venues of congregation before allowing in mourners. Over 100 vigilance cameras installed along the routes kept monitoring the situation throughout the course of the Ashura day events. Police also used 16 pairs of cellphone jammers to ward off possible terror attacks.
All cellphone networks kept their services suspended from early morning to late in the evening across the city, where motorbike riding was also banned for the 9th and 10th of Muharram.
MIRPURKHAS: Several Ashura processions were taken out from different parts of Mirpurkhas amid strict security arrangements.
Volunteer organizations and the local administration had set up medical camps along the main procession route — M.A. Jinnah Road, Market Chowk, Railway Station Chowk and Post Office Chowk for the participants. Doctors and other medical staff at the Civil Hospital Mirpurkhas also provided their services to mourners while the ambulance service transported those in need of emergency treatment.
Police had cordoned off all major thoroughfares of the city for traffic to facilitate mourning processions and congregations. Free food and handouts were distributed among participants of the processions at many places in the city.
The main procession led by Ziaul Hassan Naqvi, Sajjad Rind and Sagheer Naqvi was taken out from the Railway Station Chowk and terminated at the shrine of Makhan Shah.
Over 1,800 police personnel and 200 Rangers men were deployed in Mirpurkhas district to ensure peace during the Ashura day.
NAWABSHAH: The main Ashura procession in Shaheed Benazirabad district was taken out from the Murtazvi Imambargah located in Mohni Bazaar in Nawabshah city. A number of smaller processions taken out from Hub-i-Ali, Abul Fazal, Ali Raza and Mabd-ul-Uloom imambargahs and other places joined in the main procession.
The mourners marched through various localities of the city before the procession terminated at its starting point. Emergency medical camps were set up by the provincial health department, Muttahida Qaumi Movement and Imamia Students Organisation which also distributed free food to mourners.
Around 2,000 security personnel including 500 police commandos were deployed to ensure safety and security of mourners with the help of 32 CCTV cameras installed along the routes of the processions.
Syed Afzaal Zaidi, Mohammed Hussain Chandio, Darya Khan Lashari and others delivered sermons at various congregations.
SHIKARPUR: Ashura processions emerged from 16 areas in this city and another 21 religious places in different towns and villages of the district on Sunday.
The main procession was taken out from Karbala-i-Mualla Imambargah at Lakhi Gate. The participating mourners passed through various thoroughfares before the procession terminated late in the evening.
Over 1,500 police personnel and 200 Rangers men were deployed to provide security to mourners. Police patrol teams and commando units as well as a bomb disposal squad also remained alert to meet any eventuality in the city.
First aid was provided to about 150 mourners at different medical camps set up for the purpose and at the Civil Hospital Shikarpur.
A mourner, Altaf Panhwar, was electrocuted at Rustam town when he touched a live wire along the route of a procession.