Amidst tight security thousands of Azadars (mourners) on Tuesday attended the main 9th Muharram-ul-Haram procession to pay homage to Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) and his companions for their sacrifice in Karbala. The main Muharram procession was taken out from central Imambargah Asna-e-Ashri located at sector G-6/2 and culminated at the same venue after passing through traditional routes.
Hundreds of people including women and children of twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi clad in black participated in the Majlis and procession and recited Nohas and poems to highlight the Karbala tragedy and to commemorate the sacrifices. Sabeels were also placed at the route of the procession to provide drinks to participants. Sermon was delivered by the religious scholars to remind the great sacrifice of the Iman-e-Ahle Muqam and rich tributes were paid to Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) on the occasion. Speakers paid rich tributes to the martyrs of Karbala who sacrificed their lives for Islam and truth.
The Azadars carrying big Alams in their hands paid tributes to the Imam in high-pitched voice. Zanjeer Zani (chest and back beating with chain) was held in the procession while Alams and Zuljannah accompanied the procession.
The central procession in the city and all other small processions culminated peacefully at their laid down destinations. The Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) had made strict security arrangements especially in and around the Markazi Imambargah and on the set routes of the mourning procession and generally across the city. The ICT administration had deployed 10,000 personnel of Islamabad police, 1500 Pakistan Rangers and 500 Frontier Constabulary on the occasion. To ensure foolproof security, all Majalis and procession participants were checked and body search was conducted at four different points by scouts and police, while walkthrough gates were also installed on the route along with entrance and exit points of the processions. The main procession route was cordoned off with tents.
The city administration conducted surveillance of the procession through drone cameras as well as aerial surveillance through helicopter. All roads and streets leading to the Imambargah, the route of the main procession, were blocked for traffic through barbed wires and concrete blocks. Fazl-e-Haq Road, Hakeem Luqman Road, Poly Clinic Chowk, Kulsoom Plaza Chowk and other roads were closed for traffic on the occasion. Bomb disposal squads and ambulances of different hospitals remained with the processions. Ambulances and fire tenders were also deployed near the main procession and other parts of the city for swift reaction in minimum time. The city main hospitals including Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) and Polyclinic hospital were put on the high alert.
Senior officials of district administration and police including Chief Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner, Additional Deputy Commissioner General (ADCG), Inspector General of Police (IGP), Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) and other senior officials visited the site to review the on-ground security situation. The main Ashura procession will be held today in Rawalpindi on the tenth of Muharram.