9th Muharram: Mourning procession being taken out across country; red alert

The 9th Muharram mourning processions are being taken out across the country to commemorate the huge sacrifices rendered by Hazrat Imam Hussain (A.S) and other martyrs of Karbala, trendpk.com reported on Thursday.

In Lahore, thousands of mourners took out Zuljinah procession from Imambargha Atia Ahle-Bait located at Nicolsan Road and Pandu Street Islampura.

ited the sacrifices rendered by Imam Hussain (AS), the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), his companions and family members at Karbala. The procession route is being monitored by moveable cameras installed at hidden places. In Islamabad, the procession started from the imambargah in G-6. The participants of Majlis-i-Aza had to pass walk-through gates installed on the main road. The mourners did Noha Khwani and Matam (chest-beating). In Karachi, the main procession would begin from Nishtar part chowrangi, and after passing though its routes, would climax at Hussnainia Irania Imambargha, Kharadar. Strict security measures have been adopted by the Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) to meet any untoward incident.
Extra police and Rangers contingents have been deployed across the country in this regard. Security arrangements have also been finalized in others major cities for Muharram including Quetta. Police, Balochistan Constabulary and FC besides a brigade of Army would be deployed in the city on the occasion of mourning processions.LEAs have sealed off all the procession routes in Quetta, Lahore and others major cities.

Sargodha mourns suicide attack

SARGODHA: A complete strike is being observed in Sargodha against yesterday’s suicide blast whereas angry protestors took procession against the incident.

Different organizations announced three-day mourning and a protest rally also took out from Imambargah block 19. The protestors burnt tyres and demanded immediate arrest of culprits.

Meanwhile, security has been tightened across the district. A three-member investigation team headed by SP Investigation Habib Shah has been constituted to probe the incident. One person was killed and 20 wounded in a suicide blast occurred on Sunday.

Youm-e-Ashur Being Observed Today

Pakistan News: Yaum-e-Ashur, the 10th day of Muharram, is being observed with reverence and religious fervor throughout the country and Azad Kashmir today to pay tributes to Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) and his companions for the supreme sacrifices rendered by them for the cause of truth, justice and righteousness.
The day is observed to commemorate the supreme sacrifice rendered by Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) and his 72 companions at Karbala to uphold the truth.
The security have been put on high alert as the Rangers and Pakistan Army have been deployed along all the routes of the processions and venues of Majaalis in various cities of the country to plug chances of any untoward incident.
The provincial governments will keep a strict vigilance on the elements propagating sectarian hatred and for this purpose, security cameras are installed.
In Rawalpindi, the main procession of Alam, Zuljinnah and Tazia will be taken out from Imambargah Colonel Maqbool Hussain. After passing through its traditional route, it will terminate at Imambargah Qadeemi in the afternoon.
In Karachi, the day is being observed with the resolve and pledge that no sacrifice will be spared for the cause of supremacy of Islam and truth.
The law enforcement agencies have been put on red alert to thwart any attempt to create lawlessness. Stringent security measures have been taken for peaceful passage of Ashura procession and to ensure peace and tranquility. The entire route of the main mourning procession of Zulljinnah, Alam and Taiza will be covered by Rangers, police and other law enforcers. All the streets with exit to MA Jinnah Road is completely sealed with placement of containers and other barricades with members of law enforcing agencies deployed to ensure that no unauthorized person sneaks into the mourning procession.
The main mourning procession will be taken out from Nishtar Park, the procession, after traversing through its traditional route, will culminate at Hussainain Iranian Imambargah at Kharadar in the evening.
In Lahore, the main Zuljinnah procession will be taken out from Nisar Haveli, inside Mochi Gate. It will terminate at Karbala Gamey Shah in the evening after passing through its traditional routes.
Tazia, Alam and Zuljinah processions will be taken out from various localities of the metropolis, which after passing through their traditional routes will join the main procession. The city police have made elaborate security arrangements to check any sort of untoward incident during Majalis-e-Aza, ‘Alam’ and ‘Tazia’ processions.
In Peshawar, the main procession will be taken out from Imam Bargah Alamdar Karbala near Qisa Khwani. After passing through its traditional route it will terminate at its starting point.
In major cities of Balochistan including the provincial capital, Quetta, Youm-e-Ashur will be observed with reverence and religious solemnity.
All shops, hotels and houses located on traditional routes of the procession have been sealed on to ensure safe passage of the procession.
In Muzaffarabad, the main procession will be taken out from Markazi Imam Bargah Pir Ilam Shah and after passing through its traditional routes, it will terminate at the Imam Bargah in the evening.
In Gilgit, the biggest Ashura procession will be taken out from central Imamia Mosque.

---

Youm-e-Ashur Being Observed Today was first posted on December 28, 2009 at 10:19 am.

Country on High Alert for Ashura

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan News: Pakistan went on high alert Monday, fearing sectarian clashes and militant attacks as millions of Shiites commemorated Ashura across the country.
Tens of thousands of police and paramilitary forces deployed in the capital Islamabad and major cities, with soldiers on standby and hundreds of ambulances accompanying Shiite processions, it was reproted.

Ashura rituals, which end today in Pakistan, see faithful in black march through the streets, flailing themselves with chains to commemorate the killing of Imam Hussein by armies of Yazid in 680.

“Security in Islamabad has been put on high alert,” police spokesman Naeem Iqbal told a news agency.

“Processions will be covered with security cameras and scanners have already been installed at the main gates of (Shiite mosque) Imambargah,” he added.

“Paramilitary personal have also been deployed and the army will remain on standby,” he added.

In Lahore, Pakistan’s most liberal city hit by a rising number of suicide and gun attacks, police patrolled roads and guarded roof tops.

“More than 25,000 policemen and officers have been deputed. No vehicle will be allowed to park near the Imambargah or the processions,” city police chief Pervez Rathore told AFP.

In northwest metropolis Peshawar, where 18 bomb attacks linked to the Taliban have struck in three months, 11,000 police and paramilitary personnel were on guard to protect processions, police said.

“Security is on high alert. The army is on standby if we need them,” Sahibzada Mohammad Anis, the city’s top administrative official told the media men.

In financial capital Karachi another 20,000 policemen and paramilitary Rangers were deployed, police said.

Militant attacks have killed more than 2,700 people since July 2007 and Washington is pressuring Pakistan to do more to crack down on Al-Qaeda and stop insurgents crossing the border to attack Western troops in Afghanistan.

---

Country on High Alert for Ashura was first posted on December 28, 2009 at 10:49 am.

Muharram 9th Processions Being Taken Out in Country

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan News: The processions in connections with the ninth of Muharramul Haram are being taken out across the country today.

A Majlis-e-Aza was held in Lahore area of Nicholson Road and later procession of Shabih-e-Zul-Janah was taken out attended by thousands of mourners amid heavy security around the Imambargah.

Also, the central procession of Muharram 9th has appeared from Pando Street Islampura and will end back on Pando Street.

On this occasion, walk-through gates were installed for the procession and the majlis.

In Islamabad also, the central mourning procession has emerged from central Imambargah in G-6; the procession will route through to Melody Chawk Islamabad.

The security for the today’s procession has further been beefed up in wake of yesterday’s terror incident in Karachi area of Paposhnagar. The procession has set off from Nishtar Park and will route through MA Jinnah Road to Husainia Iranian Imambargah Kharadar.

Nazim Karachi Mustafa Kamal said the City government made best arrangements in connection with Muharramul Haram and police and the CPLC have been provided with the facility of Command and Control room to monitor the procession from Nishtar Park to Tower with modern technology and cameras.

The procession of Ninth Muharram is on its way to the Central imambargah in Skardu.

In Multan also, the Muharram ninth is being observed with great religious reverence with majalis and processions being held across the city.

Both government hospitals functioning in the Federal Capital, have made special arrangements to meet any untoward incident during Ashura day of Muharram-ul-Harram.

According to hospital sources, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) and Federal Government Services Hospital (FGSH) has deployed additional staff in the emergency ward to provide better services.

Joint Executive Director PIMS Dr. Jehanzib Aurakzai said that a plan has been chalked for Ashura day and it will be ensured that doctors and paramedical staff are available in the hospital round the clock.

He said sufficient medicines and surgical equipment have been provided to the concerned departments while hospital staff have been directed not to leave the hospital till completion of duty hours.

He said all senior doctors will be on call to handle any emergency like situation while hospital’s ambulances will also be on alert.

Spokesman of FGSH Dr. Sharif Astori said that all senior doctors will remain on duties in the hospital during Ashura day while paramedical staff have also been assigned special duties during these days.

He said special teams have been formed while sufficient medicines have been provided to the concerned departments. He added surgeons have been asked to remain in touch and immediately rush to the hospital in case of any emergency.

Lahore Capital City Police Officer Muhammad Pervez Rathore has directed that parking for all Majalis and Muharram processions be made at a safe distance, at least 200 meters away.

He said 134 mobile squads, 85 motorcycles, 75cars and 11 cars of Elite Force would also be deployed to ensure law and order at the venues. He said all entry and exit points of Majalis would be manned and rooftop deployment be made at Imambargahs, Majalis and routes of Ashura processions. He directed all divisional SPs to personally check deployment and patrolling of the mobile squad in their respective areas, besides paying random visits to sensitive places.

The CCPO said ulema and media had a leading role in maintenance of law and order and eradication of terrorism in the city. He also appealed to citizens, religious leaders and mosque administrations to depute guards at all places of worship from their own locality, so that they can recognize prayer sayers and point out any suspicious person. The CCPO appealed to ulema for cooperation on limiting the use of loudspeakers only to places of worship.

He expressed these views while addressing a meetingof Ulema and Mushaikh of the District Peace Committee Lahore held at Capital City Police Headquarters here on Saturday. He saida foolproof Ashura security plan had been chalked out after consultation with leaders belonging to various religious schools of thought and 184 potential trouble points had been identified in the city.

He said police officers and more than 25,000 policemen would provide security to Majalis and processions while armed personnel would also be deputed to provide security for functions to be held daily. Similarly, Lahore police will provide security to297 Imambargahas and 787 mosques along routes of the procession.

He said crises management centres had been set up in the city which would function around the clock while a special control room was set up in the CCPO office for coordination among various agencies.

He said the code of conduct would be strictlyimplemented during Ashura and 1068 members ofthe District Peace Committed would be present on the routes ofthe procession and Majalis, especially at sensitive places.Similarly, strict enforcement of the Loudspeaker Ordinance wouldbe ensured, he added.

In Karachi, the Saddar Town Administration completed arrangements for cleanliness along the route of Muharramprocession, Imambargahs and places of Majalis on Muharram 9 and 10,repair of roads and lighting.

The Town’s B and R Department has carpeted the roads, repaired the footpaths while M&E Department repaired the high mast lights around Imambargahs and adjoining streets and erased wall chalkings.

The TMA has deployed sewerage disposal staff to ensure plugging of leakages along the Muharram procession routes.

The TMA is regularly supplying water to Imambargahs and Sabils since Muharram 1.

The Nazim Saddar Town visited Hussainian Iranian Imambargah Kharadar, Boulton Market, Denso Hall, Khaliqdina Hall, Tibet Centre, Burns Road, Regal Chowk, Preedy Street, Empress Market etc and reviewed the arrangements for Muharram processions.

---

Muharram 9th Processions Being Taken Out in Country was first posted on December 27, 2009 at 1:21 pm.