LAHORE: The main procession of 9th Muharram started from Pando Street Imambargah after Fajr Prayers. After passing through Alamgir Road, Main Bazaar Islampura, Civil Secretariat Old Anarkali, Jain Mandar, IG Office, Civil Secretariat, Dayanat Road and Alamgir Road, it concluded peacefully at Imambargah Pando Street.
The procession started after religious scholars of the Shia community talked of the sacrifices and mission of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA). When the procession reached Alamgir Road, Ziyarat of ZulJinnah was brought forth.
The mourners performed Zanjeerzani at the spot and Zuhrain near Noori Building. Afterwards, the procession again started moving forward and it reached main bazaar Islampura, passing through Civil Secrtetrait, Old Anarkali and Jain Mandar before reaching the IG Office.
At the IG office, they offered Maghreebain. The procession got under way again and stated the journey of passing through Civil Sectariat, Dayanat Road, Alamgir Road and reached Imambargah Pando Street. Various smaller processions joined the main one.
Throughout the route, stalls for cold water and milk were set up, while food was distributed. Medical camps were also set up by Hussainian Scout, Rescue 1122 and Edhi Foundation. They provided first aid treatment to those mourners who were injured.
Strict security measures were made on the occasion. The route of the procession was sealed with barbed wires, containers and barricades. Participants were allowed entry after checking at four points; physical frisking, going through metal detectors and walkthrough gates.
These were also monitored through 360 CCTV cameras. Drone cameras were also used to look for any suspicious person of activity. There was a complete ban on pillion-riding throughout Punjab and mobile services were suspended in areas near the routes. Blockade of roads and suspension of mobile services caused a nuisance for many people.
All the shops and markets on the route were shut, while police and other law enforcement agencies had also closed down the windows of surrounding houses.
No one was allowed to stand on the rooftops of these houses. Snipers were deployed on nearby buildings to keep an eye on any suspicious person or activity.
The route was cleared by the Bomb Disposal Squad, sniffer dogs and Special Branch before the beginning of the procession. Teams of Dolphin Squad, Police Response Unit and Elite Force kept patrolling the routes nearby the procession.
Senior police officers remained on patrol to review security arrangements.
The processions had been geo-tagged and monitored through control rooms set up at DIG Operations Office, CCPO Office, City District Government Office and Safe City Authority.
As far traffic arrangements were concerned, 1,260 wardens, 56 patrolling officers, 69 inspectors, 6 DSPs and two SPs, under the supervision of the CTO, performed duty on the 9th and 10th of Muharram.
They set diversions on the route sites and traffic entering in Lahore from Shahdara was diverted to Railway Station from Azadi Flyover. Meanwhile, traffic from Multan Road Chuburji was diverted to Commissioner Office, while vehicles coming from Traffic Court Street were sent to Outfall Road and Bund Road. Traffic entering from Kahna Kasur was diverted to Chauburji Mor, Samanabad, Gulshan-e-Ravi and Bund Road. No traffic was allowed entry from Sagginan Bridge to Katchery.
Traffic from Circular Road was diverted to Mori Gate, Urdu Bazar, Timber Chowk and Neela Gumband. Traffic from Masti gate U-turn to Lahore Fort and Texali Chowk was blocked. Similarly, traffic was blocked from Chowk Milad to Andaroon Dehli Gate and Masjid Wazir Khan. It was also blocked from Pani Wala Talab to Rang Mahal.
On Muharram 10, the main procession will begin from Nisar Haveli at midnight and after passing through the walled City, will conclude at Karbala Gamay Shah.
It will pass through Mohalla Chehl Bibian, Imambargah Syed Wajid Ali Shah, Chowk Nawab Sahib, Koocha Qazi Khana, Imambargah Maulvi Feroz Ali, Koocha Miskeenan, Mohalla Peer Gillanian, Imambargah Syed Rajab Ali Shah, Chauhatta Mufti Baqir, Chowk Kotwali, Kashmiri Bazaar, Sonehri Masjid, Dabbi Bazaar, Gumti Bazaar (Rang Mahal Chowk), Said Mittha Bazaar, Tehsil Bazaar, Bazaar Hakimaan, Ucchi Masjid, Bhaati Chowk and conclude at Karbala Gamay Shah. Various smaller processions will join it.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 1st, 2017.
The post Mourning the martyrs: 9th Muharram procession concludes peacefully appeared first on The Express Tribune.
Source: Tribune News
Original Post: Mourning the martyrs: 9th Muharram procession concludes peacefully
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