Cops on duty at procession routes given special cards, CCPO says other officers to remain on roads to inspect security for processions.

Peshawar   -   Shia community staged the 9th Muharram procession from Imambargah Imamia Colony on Saddar Road, amid tightened security on Monday.

The procession travelled via the traditional routes, and then came back to the Imambargah. Explosives experts and sniffer dogs swept the routes of the 9th Muharram procession. For the procession, the Stadium Chowk, Nauthia Chowk, and FC Chowk up to the Saddar Bazaar were all blocked for the general public as well as vehicular movement. Barbed wires and blockades were placed at the entrance points to Saddar while the trade centres remain shut.

Peshawar Police have also set up a central control room to keep an eye on the routes via CCTV and drone cameras. Cellular phones have also been muted in Peshawar and other sensitive areas of the province as part of the security measures.

Capital City Police Officer Ijaz Khan led SSP Operations Kashif Aftab, SP City Attique Shah and other cops while visiting various areas to inspect security and keep the law enforcement on their toes.

More than 20 marketplaces in the interior city have been closed. The inner city, which has been cordoned off for the past three days, has been secured with the deployment of around 11,000 police officers from Peshawar and other regions.

The Ababeel Squad, the City Patrol Force, the Rapid Response Force, and all the other squads have also been put on alert. Along with police, the Paramilitary Frontier Constabulary and army contingents are also stationed in several places.

It merits a mention here that following threat alerts, the cops deployed to protect the Muharram Processions have been given special cards, and anyone without a card will not be permitted to approach the procession routes. The colour of the cards is also changed as part of daily renewal.