The ninth Muharram-ul-Haram processions were taken out on Monday amid tight security arrangements in various parts of the province. The processions passed through the designated routes and ended peacefully. Extraordinary security arrangements were made for the processions. All routes in the sensitive areas were sealed off by placing blocks and barbed wires.
After carrying out search by bomb disposal squad, the participants were allowed to proceed through the designated routes. Police in plain cloth were also deployed to monitor the movement of suspected people toward the processions. The central procession was taken out from Hussainia Imambargah in Peshawar Cantt amid massive security. Police personnel escorted processions and were deployed at the rooftop and buildings on the routes, whereas lady constables also deployed at different Imambargah in the city and cantonment areas. The procession routes, including Kohati, Yaktoot, Dabgari, Qissa Khawani, Mohallah Marviha, Tadi Gate, Hashtnagri and Gulbahar were completely protected through massive deployment of police forces and sealed off by concrete blocks.
Meanwhile, police arrested three suspected persons, who were filming the procession via mobile from Cantonment Plazas during the central procession in Saddar, Peshawar. According to police, the suspected had tried to runaway on the occasion, but they had arrested them immediately.
To cope with any emergency situation, a supreme command and three commanded forces had established where staffs of bomb disposal squad, Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited SNGPL, fire brigade, rescue 1122 along with other emergency units were deployed. The LEAs had declared all procession routes as no-parking zone, and directed ambulance, rescue 1122, fire brigade and Wapda vehicles to stay at a radius of 200 meter. Special cards were issued to police, and personnel of law enforcing agencies deployed for protection of processions.
The police department had directed the procession organisers to carry body search of everybody with the help of metal detectors before entering the Imambargah and processions.
Kohat region, most sensitive district during the Muharram, more than 5,000 policemen have been deployed for ninth and 10th Muharram processions. To monitor the movement of suspected people district government had installed closed-circuit camera at all sensitive locations. Army helicopters provided surveillance till the end of the processions. LEAs had imposed ban on entry of tribal people and Afghan refugees in the processions of Ashura.