The ‘Alm and Zuljinnah’ mourning processions of the 9th Muharram was peacefully concluded in all districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa including Peshawar amid tight security arrangements by police and law enforcement agencies on Tuesday.
In Peshawar, the main ‘Alm and Zuljinah’ procession appeared in the morning from Imambargah Hussainia Hall on main Saddar Road and later was joined by many other processions in parts of the provincial capital amid flagellation and chest beating. The mourners passed through the prescribed routes comprising Saddar Road, Kalabari and Fawwara Chowk where the organizers arranged water, milk and drinks for the Azadars.
The religious scholars delivered special sermons on the importance of 9th Muharram, Ashura Moharram and supreme sacrifice offered by Hazrat Imam Hussain (AS) and other martyrs of Karbala for supremacy of Islam. They said the matchless sacrifices of martyres of Karballa were a great source of strength and inspiration for all Muslims.
After offering ‘zuhrain’ prayer, the procession culminated back at the Imambargah Hussainia Hall at Peshawar Cantonment.
The 1122 Rescue Service had set up a medical camp to provide timely treatment to the mourners in case of any emergency.
The participants were allowed only after body search by the police, law enforcers and volunteers.
Walkthrough gates were installed for screening of participants, and surveillance of processions was carried out through video-recording and CCTV cameras fixed for this purpose. Besides deployment of policemen and sniper shooters, the personnel of bomb disposal unit remained in high alert position and carried out security check of the routes through equipment. The entire city was virtually sealed and no vehicle was allowed to enter the area designated for mourning processions.
Many other processions of 9th Moharram were taken out from several Imambargahs including Bibi Zekri, and concluded at the originating points peacefully. The police have blocked all the entry points to the city and Saddar Raod to facilitate the mourners and avert any untoward incident.
In Haripur, which had been declared the most sensitive district for Muharram, the mourning processions concluded peacefully at the designated points. The main procession of 9th Muharram was taken out from Imambargah Imamia Sajjadia Mohallah Motian in Haripur and ended at Imambargah Qadeemia Mohalla Chowki police. The mourners from different parts of the district participated. The route had been cordoned off by the personnel of police and elite force besides law enforcers where participants passed through special security mechanism.
In Kohat, the mourners’ processions concluded peacefully where clerics paid rich tributes to sacrifices of martyrs of Karbala and urged the Muslim Ummah to follow the footprints of the martyrs.
In Lakki Marwat, the 9th Muharram procession ended peacefully in Mohallah Sayyedan in the city. The procession taken out from Imambargah Kashana Bukhari was culminated at the starting point after passing through traditional route.
In Parachinar of Kurram district, the main mouring procession was taken out from Central Imam Bargah and passed through prescribed routes before culminated at the said place. In Mansehra, DI Khan, Nowshera and other districts, the 9th Moharram processions were peacefully concluded after passing through prescribed routes amid flagellation and chest beating. The religious scholars paid glowing tributes to the matcless sacrifices offered by Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) and his fellows in the scorching heat of Karbala for supremacy of Islam.
Meanwhile, foolproof security arrangements have been made for peaceful observance of Youm e Ashur in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Wednesday (Moharram 10th). Alm and Zuljinnah’ processions would be taken out in KP where people will pay homage to the matchless sacrifices of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) and his companions at Karbala for the supremacy of Islam.
At Peshawar, over total of 12 mourning processions would be taken out from different Imambargahs amid tight security arrangements made by Peshawar police. The main ‘Alam and Zuljinah’ procession of the 10th Muharram would be taken out from Imambargah, Agha Syed Ali Shah Qissa Khawani Bazaar. The processions of other Imambargahs would join it that will pass through prescribed routes.
More than 10,000 policemen were deployed for the security of these processions besides surveillance of its routes through drone cameras.
Closed-circuit cameras were also installed at sensitive points in Peshawar to keep a watch on majalis and processions. Water and milk stand for mourners were placed at various points on the routes of the processions. All roads leading to the Imambargahs were blocked by police and anyone who wants to join the mourners had to pass through strict check by police. Mobile services were partially suspended in Peshawar City to keep the law and order situation under control.
Likewise, big processions of Tazia, Alm and Zuljinah would also be taken out in Mardan, Kohat, Bannu, Hangu, Lakki Marwat, Mansehra, Haripur, Parachinar, Dera Ismail Khan and other districts.
