Ninth Muharram observed amid tight security: 79 mourning processions, 378 majalis held in Lahore

LAHORE: As many as 79 mourning processions and 378 majalis were held in the provincial capital on Monday amid stringent security measures to observe the 9th Muharram-ul-Haram, said Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Ghulam Mehmood Dogar on Monday.

He said the main mourning procession was taken out from Pandu Street and culminated peacefully. He said that over 10,000 police officers, including 14 SPs, 40 DSPs, 99 sub-inspectors, 810 upper subordinates and 370 lady officers, had been deputed in Lahore alone for the protection of the believers and the lives and properties of the citizens.

As per the security plan, he added, 47 mourning processions will be taken out in Lahore on Youm-e-Ashur on Tuesday (today) and 227 majalis will also be held.

“We are providing a foolproof security blanket to all the religious events being held in Lahore while maintaining a close coordination with organizers of these events”, he said.

The senior police officer said that aerial monitoring of all the mourning processions are being conducted through over 900 CCTV cameras installed by the Punjab Safe Cities Authority (PSCA) at different sensitive locations”, he disclosed and added that law enforcement agencies were also using drone cameras for the purpose.

To avoid untoward situation, the CCPO said, two monitoring cells – one at PSCA and the other at the deputy commissioner’s office – were established at the start of the holy month.

He added that cellular service will remain partially suspended in the city, especially around routes of processions and gatherings.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Umer Sher Chattha visited Pandu Street and Shadman Market to review security arrangements for mourning processions and majalis. He also inspected functioning of the cameras at the monitoring cell.

He said the district administration has installed additional 375 CCTV cameras for the surveillance of five major mourning processions. The deputy commissioner disclosed that 11 mourning processions of A category were taken out while 56 majalis were held in Lahore on Monday (9th Muharram).

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022