Security plan reviewed: some 25,674 personnel deployed for 10th Muharram processions

Some 25,674, including 22,381 policemen, 389 lady police, 2,778 Razakars would be deployed on the routes of 10th Muharram-ul-Harram processions in the city. Inspector General of Police (IGP) Sindh Allah Dino Khuwaja on Monday briefed the high level meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah that on 9th Muharram there would be 528 Majalis, including 39 of Sunnis.
Similarly on 10th Muharram there would be 403 Majalis, including 23 to be held by Sunnis. Similarly, there would be 279 processions on 9th Muharram and 289 on 10 Muharram in the city. The meeting, held at Chief Minister House, was attended by Advisor to CM on Law Murtaza Wahab, Chief Secretary Siddique Memon, IG Police AD Khwaja, Additioanl IG Karachi Mushtaq Maher Home Secretary and others.
On this occasion Murad Ali Shah has said that foolproof security during the 9th and 10 Muharram must be maintained. "We have been holding regular meetings on the security of Muharram and have personally visited the route of main procession; therefore there should not be any issue as far as security is concerned."
Giving details of the 9th Muharram procession, the IG police said on 9th Muharram at 8am a procession would be taken out from Bab-e-Fatima Imambargah and enter into the area of district East from Teen Talwar. The route of procession from Bab-e-Fatima Imambargah via Liaquatabad No 10 would take u-turn towards Teen Hatti, Liaquatabad Dak Khana, Teen Hatti, Jahangir Road - Shah-e-Najaf Imam Bargah, Martin Quarters, Jamia Binori, Gru Mandar, Bahaduryar Jung Road, Soldier Bazaar and Nishtar Park where it would merge into main procession.
The main procession would start from Nishtar Park at about 12 noon. Its route is Nishtar Park to Purani Numasih, Saddar Empress Market, Regal Chowk, M A Jinnah Road - Denso Hall- Denso Hall to Bolton Market, Plastic Market, Hussainian Iranian Imambargah. The mourners will offer Zohrian prayers at Ali Raza Imam Bargah at M A Jinnah Road and it would end at Hussainian Iranian Kharadar.
He said the 10th Muharram procession would start from Nishtar Park at 10 am. Its route would be from Nishtar Park to Purani Numaish, Saddar Empress Market, Regal Chowk, M A Jinnah Road, Denso Hall, Bolton Market, Plastic Market, Hussainian Iranian Imambargah. They would offer Zohrain prayer at Tibet Centre at 1.30pm. The procession would end at 6pm.
AD Khwaja also briefed the chief minister about the flash points of the main procession and also said that extraordinary security arrangements had been made there. He said there were four platoons of reserve force which would be deployed at Nishter Park, Numaish Chowrangi, Imambargah Ali Raza, Capri Cinema, Saddar Daakhana, Empress Market, Regal Chowk, Tibet Centre, Saeed Manzil, Radio Pakistan, Eidgah Market, Light House, Bolton Market, Bara Imambargah, Baghdadi, Kharadar and Hussainian Iranian Imambargah.
Additional IG Karachi Mushtaq Maher said that on 10th Muharram main Tazia procession joined by small Tazias reaching from different parts of the city converge on M A Jinnah Road and proceed to Native Jetty straight via M A Jinnah Road. He said large contingent of police act as buffer to maintain safe distance.
The chief minister said that mostly people did not follow traditional route and a wide gap developed between head and tail of the procession. This must be protected properly. "I would suggest that gap may not be allowed to develop," he said. He also discussed evacuation plan in case of any untoward incident.