President General Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz in their special messages on Ashura urged upon national unity. Special programmes were broadcast on radio and TV while newspapers published special supplements characterising the life of Hazrat Imam Hussain.
In Islamabad the main procession was taken out from Markazi Imam-bargah G-6-2 amidst tight security measures. In Rawalpindi, the main procession was taken out from imam bargah, Colonel Maqbool Hussain Road.
KARACHI: The Ashura has been observed with religious fervour and enthusiasm under the red-alert security arrangements as no untoward incident was reported throughout the city.
In Karachi, extraordinary security arrangements were witnessed in the city, especially around the main procession taken out from Nishter Park, which ended at Hussainian Iranian. The City Chief Police Officer (CCPO), Tariq Jameel, was himself monitoring the overall situation in the city and was present from the beginning of the main procession till its end.
Talking to NNI during the procession, the CCPO said: "We have made an extraordinary measures and police in high-alert to face any untoward situation, and we hope that there will be peace all the day."
"There were various intelligence reports about terrorist activities, but Al-Hamdollilah all has gone well," said Jameel at the wake of procession. Huge numbers of plain cloth cops were posted in the procession while close-circuit cameras were monitoring the procession.
MULTAN: The Zuljinnah procession was taken out from Khuni Burj, whereas main procession was taken out from Mumtazabad and another from Chowk Kumharanwala.
A number of medical aid camps were set up alongside routes of mourners (azadar) by social welfare organisations and others. 'Sabeels' of water were also set up.
City district administrations and police took strict security measures to avoid any untoward incident. Army was deployed at different places in Multan while army helicopters kept on monitoring the processions of mourners from the air. Video cameras were also installed along the route of processions. Police arrested over 100 pillion riders as they were violating the pillion riding restriction.
FAISALABAD: Youm-i-Ashur was observed with utmost reverence and solemnity throughout the Faisalabad district.
As many as 138 Tazia, Alam and Zuljinnah processions were taken out from various parts of Faisalabad district. In city, all the processions converged at the Markazi Imambargah and Azzakhana-e-Shabbiria Hussain Pura (Dhobi Ghaat) from where the main procession started after Fajr prayer. Shia Zakirs and Ulemas gave a detailed account of Karbala in which grandson of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) and his family members were martyred.
They urged Ummah (nation) to forge unity in their ranks to foil nefarious designs of anti-Islam forces and called upon Muslims to mould their lives in accordance with the teachings of Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and the principles of Islam, to overcome the multifarious problems confronting the Muslims of the world today.
Traditional Sabeels were set up along the entire route of procession. The route was also fully sealed as a security measure and traffic was diverted to alternative roads.
Meanwhile, three participants of a procession were injured in a clash between two sects in Rodu Sultan, District Jhang. However, police and other law enforcing agencies overcome the miscreants.
SIALKOT: Youm-i-Ashur was observed in entire Sialkot district peacefully with reverence and solemnity to commemorate the supreme sacrifice rendered by Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) to uphold the principles of justice and truth against the tyrant Yazid.
Special prayers were offered in mosques and imam bargahs after Fajr prayers. As many as 184 Tazia, Alam and Zuljinnah processions were taken out in Sialkot district that terminated at main imam bargah after passing through their traditional routes.
Police and other law enforcement agencies made elaborate security arrangements for the day, as no untoward incident was reported from any part of the Sialkot district.
An azadar youth Anwar Abbas was electrocuted to death in main bazaar of Daska City, on the morning of Youm-i-Ashur. He was displaying the Zuljinnah flags and banners with a main electricity transformer there, when he received a critical electric shock from the transformer and died on the spot.
He was laid to rest in his native graveyard in the presence of the hundreds of the mourners from all walks of life. The Pak army, paramilitary, elite force and police troops continued flag march on various main city roads of Sialkot district to ensure peace and maintain law and order during Ashura Muharram.
Sialkot District Coordination Officer (DCO) Syed Tahir Raza Naqvi told the newsmen that under the foolproof Muharram security plan, tight precautionary measures were adopted in sensitive areas of Sialkot district to avert any untoward incident and ensure peace and law and order during Muharram.
He said that no ban was imposed on pillion riding on motorcycles by the district government during the Ashura, adding that entire Sialkot district was divided into four circles to ensure peace and maintain law and order, high security alert during the Muharram congregations and processions.