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MULTAN, Jul 17 (APP):Youm-e-Ashur, the 10th of Muharram, was observed with religious fervour and solemnity in the district amid tight security on Wednesday to commemorate the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) and his companions at Karbala in 60 Hijra.
Clad in black clothes, the mourners exercised self-flagellation with sharp knives mounted on chains, swords and other sharp tools. Besides youths, women, children and elderly citizens also flagellated themselves. The atmosphere remained peaceful as no untoward incident was reported from any area of the district and the masses exhibited sectarian harmony throughout the day.
The security was put on red-alert by the district administration in Multan as over 6000 cops and a good number of national volunteers were deployed to maintain law and order situation across the Multan division.
The faithful brought out about 487 mourning (tazia and zuljinnah) processions while 1,608 majlis were held in different areas of Multan district in the first ten days of Muharram. As many 116 processions were taken out on Youm- e-Ashur here in the district.
The Ashura presented an ideal scene of religious harmony as most of the Tazia processions were taken out by Sunnis.
The processions of famous Tazias brought out by the Sunnis included Ustad Wala, Shagird Wala, Ramzan Wala, Bakhu Khan, Bhedi Potraan, Kamtar Wala, Gilani Wala, Lodhi Wala, Saleem Uddin Wala, Khulasi Line, Rashid Wala and Ahmad Bakhash Wala, which terminated at Darbar Pak Mai.
Similarly, about 36 tazia processions were taken out by Shias and they ended up at Karbala Shah Shamas.
The mourning and Zuljanah processions were brought out from Astana Lal Shah Mashhadi, Nasirabad (JHIK) Imambargah Jawwadia, Haveli Mureed Shah, Suraj Miani (Imambargah Sher Shah), Hussainabad (Daulat Gate), Astana Koray Shah, Imambargah Azeem Shah (Thalla Sadat), Lal Kurti (Kashan-e-Shabbir), Kamangaranwala (Hussain Agahi), Kale Mandi, Imambargah Heera Hyderi, Imambargah Hussainia (Sutriwat) and some other imambargahs of Multan, which joined the main procession and ended up at Darbar Hazrat Shah Shams Sabazwari in the evening.
The Rescue 1122, Health Department and civil defence volunteers established special camps in various parts of the city, where quick first aid was provided to the mourners injured during flagellation.
The MEPCO, WASA and other departments had also set up their camps to offer their services.
Later on, Majalis of Sham-e-Ghareeban were held in Imambargahs of Shah Gerdez, Imambargah Lal Shah, Mumtazabad, Haveli Mureed Shah, Imambargah Hyderia (Gulghast) and Hussainabad Daulat Gate in the night.
In order to avert any untoward incident, police and other law enforcement agencies executed a joint security plan.
The Police personnel patrolled the city throughout Youm-e-Ashur along with other law enforcement agencies.
The law enforcement agencies sealed Multan City and Cantonment areas. Commissioner Maryam Khan, Deputy Commissioner Wasim Hamid Sindhu, CPO Sadiq Dogar and were also present.
Scores of close circuit cameras were installed on procession routes to keep secret eye on anti-social elements and control rooms were set up at CPO and DCO offices.
Similarly, police sealed all the roads leading to the main procession route by putting barricades late on Tuesday night.
Cops appointed at the entry points of Majalis and procession routes thoroughly frisked the participants.
The entry of all vehicles had been banned in the sensitive areas and the parking stands were established at a considerable distance to avoid any untoward incident.
Similarly, special pickets were established by police in different parts of the city. It is pertinent to mention here
that no untoward incident happened till filing of the news story.