RAWALPINDI (Kashmir English): Youm-e-Ashura is being observed today across Pakistan to mark the 10th of Muharram with solemnity, processions, and mass gatherings commemorating the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Husain (RA) and his companions.
A massive security apparatus of five Army companies, seven Rangers companies, and thousands of police personnel has been deployed in Rawalpindi as the city prepares to observe Muharram 10, also known as Ashura, with religious fervor.
The Punjab government has suspended the Metro Bus Service between Rawalpindi and Islamabad on Friday following an alert from intelligence agencies about security concerns over the main Ashura procession, which will traverse along Murree Road from Bhabra Bazaar to Committee Chowk under the metro track.
A crucial meeting chaired by Punjab Minister Malik Sohaib Ahmed Bherth took place at the Commissioner’s Office to finalize arrangements and the route of the main Ashura procession.
Commissioner Abdul Aamer Khattak, RPO Babar Sarfraz Alpa, Deputy Commissioner Dr. Hassan Waqar Cheema, CPO Khalid Hamdani, and representatives of civic and emergency departments participated.
Minister Bherth emphasized collective responsibility for law and order, announcing a zero-tolerance policy for Muharram code of conduct violations and directing officials to ensure cleanliness on procession routes, along with the availability of drinking water, facilitation centers, washrooms, streetlights, and drainage systems.
Foolproof Security Plan for Ashura
A foolproof security plan, including aerial surveillance of processions and sensitive locations, mobile jamming, and anti-drone systems, has been implemented, with a total of 155 processions and 1,332 religious gatherings having already occurred from Muharram 1 to 8.
The main Ashura procession will commence from Imambargah Ashiq Hussain in Taili Mohallah and conclude at Imambargah Qadeemi, incorporating processions from Imambargah Hefaz Ali Shah, Imambargah Shaheedan-e-Karbala, Imambargah Shah Chan Chirag, and Imambargah Yadgar-e-Hussain.
A triple-layer security consisting of police, Rangers, and the Army will be in place for all processions and gatherings. Two video monitoring control rooms, one at the Punjab Safe Cities Authority and another at the Rawalpindi Municipal Corporation, will be operational round-the-clock. Rescue 1122 and health institutions will dispatch 57 ambulances, and 537 beds will be set aside in public and private hospitals for emergencies.
The meeting also focused on social media monitoring, collaboration with peace committees, stakeholder engagement, surveillance of suspicious activities, and fostering sectarian harmony, with Section 144 in effect and close monitoring of 14 individuals in the Fourth Schedule.
Minister Bherth, along with the deputy commissioner, later inspected the main procession route, the Safe City Control Room, the Central Control Room, and Raja Bazaar. More than 8,000 police personnel, including 5,500 for the main Ashura procession, will be on security duty in Rawalpindi, assisted by over 1,200 traffic police and 1,000 volunteers.
Roads and streets along procession routes will be sealed, snipers will be deployed on rooftops, and thorough body searches will be conducted, including by female police for women, with the use of metal detectors and walk-through gates.
Over 2,000 Safe City and CCTV cameras are actively monitoring the city, and a mobile application is being utilized for scanning identity cards at pickets and bus terminals, adhering strictly to the Punjab government’s code of conduct and SOPs. A total of 475 processions and 2,201 majalis of varying sensitivity levels have been planned across Rawalpindi district for Muharram.
