Tens of thousands of devotees on Sunday thronged the MA Jinnah Road to participate in the Ashura mourning procession to commemorate the martyrdoms of Hazrat Imam Hussain and his loyal companions who rendered matchless sacrifices at the Karbala for the great cause of humanity and justice.
Amid the slogans of Ya Hussain and beating of chests, the main procession was brought out in the morning after a grand mourning congregation at the Nishtar Park which was addressed by renowned scholar Allama Syed Shehenshah Hussain Naqvi.
Tight security arrangements were made near Nishtar Park and Numaish Chowrangi wherefrom the main processions were taken out on 8th, 9th and 10th Muharram. Various small and large Alam processions that were taken out from the Nishtar Park in the morning were culminated at the Hussainia Iranian Imambargah in Kharadar after passing through the traditional routes such as Mehfil-e-Shah-e-Khurasan. Numaish Chowrangi, Saddar Empress Market, Preedy Street, Tibet Centre to Bolton Market on MA Jinnah Road, Bombay Bazaar, Kharadar, Nawab Muhammad Khanji Road, respectively.
The mourners offered Zohr and Asr prayers at the Tibet Centre for which arrangements were made by the Imamia Students Organization (ISO). Eminent religious scholar Ayatollah Ghulam Abbas Raisi led the prayers. The devotees including women and children were clad in black and chanting the mourning slogans. Many were carrying black flags and banners inscribed with religious verses, sayings and slogans. Noha khwan and marsia khwan recited noha and marsia, the epic poetry on the Karbala tragedy. The devotees were also chanting Labbaik Ya Hussain slogans.
Big placards, banners, flags and billboards inscribed with the sacred verses from Quran and sayings were also visible at the Numaish Chowrangi, on M. A. Jinnah Road and elsewhere in the city. Many of the mourners donated their blood to pay homage to the martyrdoms of Imam Hussain and his companions and some resorted to self-flagellation to commemorate the martyrs of Karbala.
A number of roadside camps were set up to provide basic facilities including water and medical assistance to the participants of the Ashura procession. Sindh government also beefed up security measures to ensure observance of peaceful Muharram rituals in the city.
With a few entry points leading to the main Ashura procession route on M. A. Jinnah Road, the two-fold security checks, the first by police, and the second by scouts were followed to strengthen the flawless security shield. Helicopters were continuously flying over the procession route and around to conduct aerial surveillance throughout the day and to assist the ground-security personnel in keeping a vigilant eye to avert any terror attack. The government had already sealed-off roads and streets leading to the MA Jinnah Road from Guru Mandir to the Botlon Market with a view to foil the possible bid of suicide bombing. Huge contingents of Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) and police were deployed on the main procession route while city-wide patrolling was also conducted.