PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has taken precautionary measures ahead of the Muharram processions by declaring eight districts in the province — Peshawar, Kohat, Hangu, Dera Ismail Khan, Kurram, Orakzai, and Tank — as sensitive.
In addition, 4,500 places of worship have been identified as the most sensitive during Muharram in these eleven districts of the province.
Based on the information provided by the police and security forces, the Home Department has made arrangements to deploy personnel from the police, Frontier Constabulary, and Frontier Corps to ensure security at these sensitive locations throughout the Muharram period.
To maintain a secure environment and prevent any untoward incidents, the police have been given specific instructions to seal the routes of mourning processions in all the aforementioned districts.
The Islamic new year, Muharram, commences on the 1st of the month. On Tuesday, the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee announced that the Muharram moon has not been sighted in Pakistan.
As a result, Youm-e-Ashur, the 10th day of Muharram, will be observed on July 29 (Saturday). The committee’s statement confirmed that the first day of Muharram will fall on July 20 (Thursday).
The announcement was made following a meeting chaired by committee chairman Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad. Despite holding meetings of zonal crescent sighting committees in all provinces, no evidence of moon sighting was reported from any part of the country.
With these measures in place and the determination of important dates for Muharram, the authorities aim to ensure a peaceful and secure observance of this significant religious period.
