RAWALPINDI: All arrangements have been finalized to observe ‘Ashura’ with religious fervor and reverence to commemorate the supreme sacrifices rendered by Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) and his companions for the cause of Islam while over 6,000 cops would guard 64 mourning processions and 113 majalis to be held across the district.
The district administration and law enforcers have finalized all necessary arrangements to facilitate the mourners.
Rawalpindi District Police, City Traffic Police (CTP), Rescue-1122 Rawalpindi and other departments concerned have finalized all the arrangements for ‘Youm-e-Ashura,’ to be observed on Tuesday. Six main processions of Zuljanah, Alam and Tazia would be taken out on Ashura from different areas of the city.
All the processions would culminate at 10:00 p.m. at Imambargah Qadimi. Clerics and religious scholars would highlight the teachings of Imam Hussain (RA) and various aspects of the tragedy.
According to City Police Officer (CPO) Syed Shehzad Nadeem Bukhari, the Police had finalized elaborate security arrangements for peaceful passage of ‘Ashura’ and avoid any untoward incident.
Special security arrangements were finalized for Muharram ul Harram in the district as it’s a sensitive area, he said adding, three-layer security cover would be provided particularly to the main Muharram processions with special arrangements ensuring rooftop duty and deployment of Quick Response Force (QRF).
The foolproof security arrangements had been finalized for main 10th Muharram procession of city which starts from Satellite Town and culminates at Imam Bargah Qadeemi. Over 2500 security personnel would be deployed to guard the main procession while 3500 cops would provide security cover to other processions and majalis of the district.
According to a police spokesman, no person would be allowed to carry weapon in Muharram procession except designated police officers.
Police would not allow anybody to organize a new Muharram procession and on SOPs violation strict action would be taken against the violators, he added.
A special 24/7 control room had also been set up in his office, he said.
He informed that strict monitoring of Ashura processions would be conducted as Close Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras had been installed at routes of main Zuljinnah processions and places where majalis would be held.
He said special contingents of commandos and police officials would also be deployed on trouble points.
According to the security plan formulated in this regard, aerial surveillance of ‘Ashura’ processions would also be conducted to ensure security of the mourners. Additional force of Special Branch Police, Elite Force, Punjab Constabulary, Women Police along with district police would be deployed to ensure security on 10th of Muharram.
Special checking of the routes would be carried out before start of the processions and bomb disposal squad would clear the routes.
The mourners would be checked with metal detectors and walk through gates would be installed at the entry points of the processions.
The route of the main procession of ‘Ashura’ would be sealed completely and streets on the route would be barricaded. Vehicles and motorcycles would not be allowed to move with the mourning processions.
The spokesman informed that Rawalpindi district police had finalized security arrangements for 447 processions and 1925 majalis of Muharram ul Harram while special security arrangements were also finalized for 40 sensitive processions of the district.
2000 volunteers were also performing security duties along with District Police, Ladies Police, Elite Force, Traffic Police, Punjab Highway Patrol, Punjab Constabulary and Dolphin Force personnel, he informed.
Senior police officers were visiting all the routes of the Muharram processions to review the security arrangements, he added.
9th Muharram processions and majalis would also be provided tight security cover.
51 processions and 185 majalis were also organized on 7th Muharram while all available resources were utilized to ensure security.
According to City Traffic Officer (CTO) Naveed Irshad, the traffic would be diverted on 48 different routes of the city on ‘Ashura’.
1000 Traffic Wardens and CTP officers would be deployed on city roads. As part of the security measures, entry of vehicular traffic from Committee Chowk to Iqbal Road would strictly be banned on 10th Muharram.
No vehicle would be allowed on DAV college road and Iqbal road. The public transport for City Saddar Road would be diverted to Mohanpura road and traffic from Novelty cinema would reach Pirwadhai through Kashmiri bazaar. Traffic coming from Gunjmandi would be diverted to TB hospital, Pirwadhai and Dhoke Dalal.
According to District Emergency Officer, Rescue 1122, more than 500 rescuers would remain on special duties in Rawalpindi district control room, emergency rescue stations with fully equipped emergency ambulances, fire vehicles, special vehicles and water bowzers.
20 mobile rescue teams would move with Ashura processions. A comprehensive plan has been formulated to provide first aid and on the spot pre-hospital medical care to the mourners while serious persons would be shifted to nearby hospitals.
He urged the mourners, volunteers and custodians of Imambargahs to cooperate with Rescue-1122 staff. Emergency officers including trained doctors would supervise the arrangements.
District Control Room would also be functional round the clock for provision of effective emergency services to the public and leaves of the rescuers have been restricted in this regard, he informed.
He appealed to the motorists to give way to the ambulances and fire vehicles and advised the citizens to dial 1122 in case of any emergency.
Nearly 300 volunteers of Civil Defence would also perform duties on 10th Muharram, said District Officer Civil Defence.
RCB and TMA had also finalized arrangements for 9th and 10th Muharram besides completing patchwork at the routes of mourning processions, repairing roads, street lights and removal of encroachments.
