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http://centralasiaonline.com/en_GB/articles/caii/features/pakistan/main/2013/11/04/feature-01
PESHAWAR – Pakistani and local authorities are working to ensure peaceful Muharram observances, officials told Central Asia Online ahead of this week's start of the holy month.
Apart from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Police, Frontier Constabulary and Frontier Corps contingents will fan out across the province to maintain law and order during holiday celebrations, which have fallen prey to sectarian violence in past years.
Last November, Pakistan suffered several deadly bombings. One on the first day of Muharram killed 18 people in Kohat.
Every province is scrambling to protect worshippers this year, especially during the first 10 days, when celebrations peak.
"As many as 37,000 majalis will be held during the 10 days of Ashura Muharram," Punjab Police Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Operations Waqas Nazir told Central Asia Online.
"Also, 970 processions will be carried out all over Punjab Province [during the 10 days]."
Multiple security arrangements
The Army and Rangers will aid police in the tribal areas, Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan. The army will also be on standby to respond to KP's security needs in Peshawar, Hangu, Dera Ismail Khan and Kohat.
KP Inspector General of Police Nasir Khan Durrani October 30 ordered police to install security zones and to frisk everyone entering imambargahs or observing processions, according to a police statement.
The KP government is prohibiting known firebrand religious leaders from entering the province and has ordered administrative chiefs to ban hateful speech, graffiti and literature during the celebration, Dawn reported November 1.
Security forces have rounded up more than 300 people, mostly terrorist suspects, in targeted operations across the city ahead of Muharram, Najib-ur-Rahman, Peshawar senior superintendent of police (SSP) for operations, told Central Asia Online.
Peshawar police will seal the inner city from Gulbahar to Kohati Chowk and Khyber Bazaar to prevent terrorist attacks on Muharram processions. They'll block motor vehicles from Saddar Road when the Muharram procession is passing through Saddar.
"The wall between the posh Hayatabad Township and tribal Khyber Agency has been rebuilt so that no one can enter the township from the tribal areas to carry out attacks," Najib said. Authorities have installed closed-circuit TV cameras to monitor activity throughout the city and cantonment, he said.
"We've planned meetings with the elders of various religious and political groups to seek their suggestions for [keeping the peace]," Najib said. Workers will install lights to facilitate night-time processions, while police will watch from rooftops for suspicious movements.
Local governments of sensitive districts invoked Section 144, a provision of the penal code that bars potentially violent assemblies. The governments have special privilege to ban large gatherings, brandishing of weapons, pillion (shared) motorcycle riding, and tinted glass on vehicles.
Police carried out searches throughout Mardan before Muharram, Mohammad Saeed Wazir, the Mardan deputy inspector general of police, said.
"The police have been directed to search all the hotels, inns and rented houses so no terrorist can find lodging in the city," Waqar Ahmad, Nowshera District police officer, said.
Authorities will close schools in sensitive areas during the final five days of Ashura Muharram. More traffic police will serve across Peshawar to divert traffic to other routes so that Muharram processions can proceed.
Efforts to promote religious harmony
Governments at various levels in Pakistan are also trying to eradicate terrorism by building religious harmony.
The federal and provincial governments have consulted religious scholars and religio-political leaders ahead of Ashura Muharram. They asked the scholars to help police keep law and order during the holy month.
Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan contacted Ulema Council of Pakistan President Allama Tahir Ashrafi to work jointly for a peaceful Muharram.
"We have managed to make an agreement in Multan and other cities among different groups," Ashrafi said. "Under the agreement, no one will make any negative statement against the other groups."
KP Minister for Religious Affairs Habib-ur-Rahman recently conferred with dozens of ulema from all over the province, urging them to play their role in maintaining peace, media reported.
"Religious scholars through their Friday sermons and speeches should keep the public calm," he said.
And unity among Muslims is imperative, he said.
"Islam is the religion of peace and love," Habib-ur-Rahman said. "There is no room for sectarianism in Islam."
PESHAWAR – Pakistani and local authorities are working to ensure peaceful Muharram observances, officials told Central Asia Online ahead of this week's start of the holy month.
Apart from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Police, Frontier Constabulary and Frontier Corps contingents will fan out across the province to maintain law and order during holiday celebrations, which have fallen prey to sectarian violence in past years.
Last November, Pakistan suffered several deadly bombings. One on the first day of Muharram killed 18 people in Kohat.
Every province is scrambling to protect worshippers this year, especially during the first 10 days, when celebrations peak.
"As many as 37,000 majalis will be held during the 10 days of Ashura Muharram," Punjab Police Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Operations Waqas Nazir told Central Asia Online.
"Also, 970 processions will be carried out all over Punjab Province [during the 10 days]."
Multiple security arrangements
The Army and Rangers will aid police in the tribal areas, Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan. The army will also be on standby to respond to KP's security needs in Peshawar, Hangu, Dera Ismail Khan and Kohat.
KP Inspector General of Police Nasir Khan Durrani October 30 ordered police to install security zones and to frisk everyone entering imambargahs or observing processions, according to a police statement.
The KP government is prohibiting known firebrand religious leaders from entering the province and has ordered administrative chiefs to ban hateful speech, graffiti and literature during the celebration, Dawn reported November 1.
Security forces have rounded up more than 300 people, mostly terrorist suspects, in targeted operations across the city ahead of Muharram, Najib-ur-Rahman, Peshawar senior superintendent of police (SSP) for operations, told Central Asia Online.
Peshawar police will seal the inner city from Gulbahar to Kohati Chowk and Khyber Bazaar to prevent terrorist attacks on Muharram processions. They'll block motor vehicles from Saddar Road when the Muharram procession is passing through Saddar.
"The wall between the posh Hayatabad Township and tribal Khyber Agency has been rebuilt so that no one can enter the township from the tribal areas to carry out attacks," Najib said. Authorities have installed closed-circuit TV cameras to monitor activity throughout the city and cantonment, he said.
"We've planned meetings with the elders of various religious and political groups to seek their suggestions for [keeping the peace]," Najib said. Workers will install lights to facilitate night-time processions, while police will watch from rooftops for suspicious movements.
Local governments of sensitive districts invoked Section 144, a provision of the penal code that bars potentially violent assemblies. The governments have special privilege to ban large gatherings, brandishing of weapons, pillion (shared) motorcycle riding, and tinted glass on vehicles.
Police carried out searches throughout Mardan before Muharram, Mohammad Saeed Wazir, the Mardan deputy inspector general of police, said.
"The police have been directed to search all the hotels, inns and rented houses so no terrorist can find lodging in the city," Waqar Ahmad, Nowshera District police officer, said.
Authorities will close schools in sensitive areas during the final five days of Ashura Muharram. More traffic police will serve across Peshawar to divert traffic to other routes so that Muharram processions can proceed.
Efforts to promote religious harmony
Governments at various levels in Pakistan are also trying to eradicate terrorism by building religious harmony.
The federal and provincial governments have consulted religious scholars and religio-political leaders ahead of Ashura Muharram. They asked the scholars to help police keep law and order during the holy month.
Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan contacted Ulema Council of Pakistan President Allama Tahir Ashrafi to work jointly for a peaceful Muharram.
"We have managed to make an agreement in Multan and other cities among different groups," Ashrafi said. "Under the agreement, no one will make any negative statement against the other groups."
KP Minister for Religious Affairs Habib-ur-Rahman recently conferred with dozens of ulema from all over the province, urging them to play their role in maintaining peace, media reported.
"Religious scholars through their Friday sermons and speeches should keep the public calm," he said.
And unity among Muslims is imperative, he said.
"Islam is the religion of peace and love," Habib-ur-Rahman said. "There is no room for sectarianism in Islam."
