Jirga continues in Kurram Agency

Saturday, January 31, 2009

A jirga would continue on Saturday for restoration of peace and recovery of kidnapped persons in Kurram Agency.

According to sources, armed men had kidnapped five persons including a tribal leader Pir Syed Askar Ali Shah Naqvi and killed one person in Chappri and Torghar areas three days ago. In reply, rival tribe had kidnapped several people. On Friday, a jirga of notables of Tori, Hamzakhel, Mastukhel held in Parachinar to discus recovery of kidnapped persons and restoration of peace. According to jirga sources, a jirga would be held again today in which members of peace jirga would take part.

http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/Politics/31-Jan-2009/Jirga-continues-in-Kurram-Agency

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PML-N fails to submit bill in NA for repealing 17th Amendment

www.thenews.com.pk
PML-N fails to submit bill in NA for repealing 17th Amendment
Saturday,
January 31, 2009
By Asim Yasin

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly session, which continued for 19 days, was prorogued on Friday without doing any legislative business except completing the debate on the presidential address to the joint sitting of parliament and adopting a vote of thanks.Just before reading out the prorogation, Chairperson Shakeela Khanum Rashid, who was chairing the session in the absence of Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza, also read out the information to the National Assembly that the PML-N had voluntarily withdrawn the requisition for the National Assembly’s session.Just before the start of the session, the PML-N had announced that it would submit a constitutional amendment bill in the National Assembly to repeal the controversial 17th Amendment but failed to do so. The Friday’s session was dominated by points of order.Bashir Mehmood Virk of the PML-N asked on a point of order whether the Article 270 AAA was part of the Constitution as it was incorporated through the PCO of November 3. He said members of this House had taken oath under the 1973 Constitution. But in its present form, it contains the Article 270 AAA and it is appropriate to form a committee to decide whether the members took oath under the PCO or the 1973 Constitution. However, his question remained unanswered.Ahsan Iqbal, senior legislator of the PML-N, put the government on defensive when he raised the issue of character assassination of Mian Nawaz Sharif and other leaders of his party through the Press Information Department.He said the PID was sending articles by ghost writers to newspapers that contained language that comes under the purview of character assassination of Mian Nawaz Sharif and other leaders of the PML-N. “This is against the norms set by both the parties in the Charter of Democracy,” he added. He warned that continuation of such personal attacks would revive the culture of 90s.Replying to a point of order, the minister for parliamentary affairs observed that while criticism was justified there should be no personal attacks. He said the government respected the opposition and will take up this issue with the information ministry.
Munir Khan Aurakzai said the displaced persons of the Kurram Agency had again threatened to close the Parachinar-Peshawar Road if no steps were taken for their rehabilitation. He said the people of Fata were facing great hardships and the government should take immediate steps for their rehabilitation.
Justice (retd) Fakhar-un-Nisa Khokhar drew the attention of the chair to the arrest of Zarina Baloch and asked why she had not been produced before the court of law. Syed Asif Hasnain, on a point of order, said seven officials of the Landhi-Korangi Industrial Estate had been kidnapped for ransom and the workers of the industrial estate had threatened to go on strike if the officials were not recovered. He said such incidents were on the rise in the area and demanded deployment of Rangers for protection of the local people. Engineer Amir Muqam of the PML-Q raised the issue of irregularities in the distribution of Zakat in the NWFP and said the provincial government, led by ANP and PPP, had appointed party men for distributing Zakat, making its distribution a political issue.Minister for Zakat and Usher Noorul Haq Qadri conceded that there were complaints not only in the NWFP but also in the Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan. He said a special committee, comprising Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Babar Awan and Law Minister Farooq H Naek, had been assigned to formulate a comprehensive monitoring system.Meanwhile, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Malik Amjad Khan on Friday told the National Assembly that Chitral-Nawapass (Afghanistan) route would be opened in a couple of days. He was responding to a call attention notice of Shahzada Mohiuddin, Dr Abdul Kadir Khanzada and Muhammad Nawaz Allai about the closure of passage to Chitral, resulting in difficulties to thousands of stranded passengers in Peshawar and Chitral. The minister said after the closure of Lowari Pass in the winter season, permission was sought from the government of Afghanistan for use of Randu-Nawapass route. He said this year too the issue was raised with Afghanistan but due to security situation on the border, the route was not considered safe for journey and, therefore, permission was not granted. He said now that the Afghan government had given permission and the route would be opened for traffic within a couple of days. Minister for Communications Arbab Alamgir Khan told the National Assembly that the Lowari tunnel had been completed but for the time being people could not use it as heavy machinery was still moving there. He said the Lowari tunnel is a project of national importance and the completion date of the project was September 2010. Shahzada Mohiuddin asked the Chair to take up the issue with the Afghan foreign minister in his upcoming visit to Pakistan that the people of Chitral be allowed to bring essential commodities with them from Afghanistan as they were facing severe shortage of essential commodities in Chitral.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=19991

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Jirga continues in Kurram Agency

Updated at: 1140 PST, Saturday, January 31, 2009

PARA CHINAR: A jirga would continue on Saturday for restoration of peace and recovery of kidnapped persons in Kurram Agency. According to sources, armed men had kidnapped five persons including a tribal leader Pir Syed Askar Ali Shah Naqvi and killed one person in Chappri and Torghar areas three days ago. In reply, rival tribe had kidnapped several people. On Friday, a jirga of notables of Tori, Hamzakhel, Mastukhel held in Para Chinar to discus recovery of kidnapped persons and restoration of peace. According to jirga sources, a jirga would be held again today in which members of peace jirga would take part.

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No point in talking to the Taliban

No point in talking to the Taliban Friday, January 23, 2009 By by Farhat Taj

Some weeks ago I was with a family in the NWFP. The family had staying with them many relatives from a Taliban-occupied tribal area. I asked one of the relatives his views on a dialogue with the Taliban. We were talking in Pashto, but the young man's prompt reaction came in English: "Dialogue? Taliban? My foot!" Then he returned to Pashto. "All those who want a dialogue with the Taliban should go to hell. No dialogue with the Taliban. The army must kill them all. But the army does not want to kill them." The remarks typify the widespread feelings of hatred towards the Taliban and of disappointment in the army's failure to curb them in the tribal areas and the NWFP. People just want the writ of the government restored and the Taliban brought before the law. Most of those in Pakistan who seek the dialogue are outsiders who do not care to come to the Pakhtun areas and see the ground realities and the sufferings of the people. They are either intellectually lazy or are insensitive to the trauma of the terrorised people. One of these advocates of a dialogue between the government and the Taliban is Masooda Bano. After reading her article in The News titled "What a Thought" (Jan 16), I sent her an email asking the following questions. 1) Which Taliban/militant leaders in the Pakhtun areas are you proposing for a dialogue? Please name those leaders. 2) Please elaborate why you think there should be dialogue with those leaders. Please elaborate one by one with reference to each leader? 3) If not the Taliban/militant leaders, who else are you proposing as partners in the dialogue? 4) Under what conditions should a dialogue with Taliban/militants take place, or should it be unconditional? 5) Are you from the NWFP or FATA? 6) If not, when was the last time you came to the NWFP or FATA? She never replied to my email. If she had replied, I would have had a better idea of the logic behind her suggestion for the dialogue. One person with whom I discussed her suggestion said the writer is backing the Taliban by asking for what they themselves ask--a dialogue. "The Taliban ask for dialogue just to get more time and space to reorganizes," said a woman. Masooda Bano referred to words two British ministers to conclude that there is "recognition at the global level that the use of force perpetuates rather than curtails militancy," which provides the Pakistani leadership with "just the right support to build a strong case for replacing military operations in the NWFP and tribal belt with dialogue." The Pakhtun who experience the full range of Talibanisation, day and and day out, know that Taliban atrocities are not going to end with a dialogue. The Taliban have an agenda of a savage social order to be imposed on the people. The Pakhtun are not ready for that and this is the reason why they are bearing the brunt of the Taliban savagery. Hatred against the Taliban in the Pakhtun areas is at an all-time high and so is disappointment, even resentment, about the Pakistani army for its failure to stop the Taliban. All over the NWFP and FATA one can find people who even discuss possibilities of Israel and India to be asked for help. Their argument goes like this: "We are not killed by Israel and India. We are killed by the Taliban and the Pakistani army. So, who is our enemy, then?" Many people in the Taliban-occupied territories of the NWFP and FATA told me they constantly pray for the US drones to bomb the Taliban headquarters in their areas since the Pakistani army is unwilling to do so. Many people of Waziristan told me they are satisfied with the US drone attacks on militants in Waziristan and they want the Americans to keep it up till all the militants, local Pakhtun, the Punjabis and the foreigners, are eliminated. The Pakhtun are not ready to accept that the strong Pakistani army is unable to eliminate the key leaders of all the Taliban groups and their headquarters. People argue: When the Pakistani army leadership wished, it eliminated Nawab Akbar Bugti in the most brutal manner, in complete disrespect for the wishes of the Baloch and other Pakistanis. How come the army does not eliminate the murderous gangsters like Taliban leaders Baituall and Fazllulah when the Pakhtun are asking for it? People want the army to eliminate the entire leadership of all Taliban gangs, their headquarters and hideouts in targeted operations based on good intelligence. The Pakhtun are not ready to accept that the mighty ISI cannot provide actionable intelligence to the army for prompt targeted operations. In my article of Jan 15 I explained that there cannot be a dialogue with the Taliban because there does not exist any common ground that is mutually respected by both the government of Pakistan and the Taliban. Such a ground, I argued, can be the law of Pakistan, the code of Pakhtunwali or Islam--none of which is respected by the Taliban. Now I would say that it is not even practical and feasible to have a dialogue with the Taliban. The Taliban are not a homogeneous group. There are not one, two, three, four or five Taliban leaders. The Taliban are made up of a large number of militant and criminal gangs. (Perhaps the ISI knows the exact number.) How many dialogues must the government initiate? How many criminal gangs must the government appease? The Taliban groups have a broad-based combined agenda--i.e., imposition of their own version of religion on the Pakhtun through terror and violence. But the groups operate independently of each other. They, however, support, or at least do not mess up with, each other's activities in the implementation of the agenda. Thus, for example, a group of local Taliban in North Waziristan have a peace deal with the army. According to the written version of the agreement (which has been seen by NWFP and tribal journalists), the deal binds the Taliban not to allow any activities in their area that can be against the law of Pakistan. But some South Waziristan Taliban gangs, linked with the Punjab-based sectarian groups Sipah-e-Sahaba and Lashkar-e-Jangvi, move through the area of North Waziristan Taliban to come to the area between Kohat and Parachinar to terrorise Shia Pakhtun in the area. After having committed their acts of terrorism in the Shia areas, they go back to South Waziristan via North Waziristan where the Taliban that have agreement with the army never ever try to stop this traffic in the Shia areas. Taliban gangs in both Waziristan routinely terrorise the people of Waziristan. This is one of the key reasons why so many people of Waziristan have preferred to live as internally displaced people in other parts of Pakistan. An internally displaced woman of Waziristan with whom I discussed Masooda Bano's article has this message for her: "Would you like to live under Taliban rule? If yes, you are most welcome to come to Taliban-occupied Waziristan or Swat. If not, why do you float pro-Taliban suggestions like the dialogue which will force the Pakhtun to live under their inhuman order one way of the other? Or perhaps you believe that the Pakhtun are naturally cut out for brutal life under the Taliban." The NWFP government had an agreement with groups of the Taliban in the NWFP. According to the agreement the arrested Taliban militants for involvements in terrorist activities were to be released after a judicial procedure. Later some Taliban leaders argued that they do not believe in the law of Pakistan and insisted the arrested Taliban must be released without any judicial procedure under the law. The government refused, and this put the agreement in trouble. The Pakhtun are sick and tired of this dialogue and the so-called peace agreements with the Taliban. They want the Taliban brought by force under Pakistani law. As a Pakhtun I understand the outsiders, whether ignorant or insensitive, do not understand and respect this law. The writer is a research fellow at the Centre for Interdisciplinary Gender Research, University of Oslo and a member of Aryana Institute for Regional Research and Advocacy. Email: bergen34@yahoo.com

 

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		Bomb Blasts in FATA, 2008 Date Place Killed Injured January 10 Tank 0 0 January 22 Ghalanai 0 0 January 23 Khyber Agency 2 1 January 23 Ghathundai 0 2 January 24 Mohmand Agency 0 2 January 26 Bajaur Agency 1 0 January 26 Mohmand Agency 0 0 January 26 Mohmand Agency 0 0 January 26 Mohmand Agency 0 0 February 1 Miranshah 6 8 February 1 Wana 0 2 February 4 Khyber Agency 0 0 February 6 Khyber Agency 2 1 February 8 Mohmand Agency 1 0 February 11 Mirali 10 13 February 14 Bajaur Agency 3 2 February 16 Parachinar 47 109 February 27 Miranshah 0 0 March 1 Bajaur Agency 2 23 March 13 Kurram Agency 1 0 March 17 Mohmand Agency 0 0 March 17 Mohmand Agency 0 0 March 17 Mohmand Agency 0 0 March 17 Mohmand Agency 0 0 March 18 Zakha Khel 0 0 March 20 Zari Noor/South Waziristan 5 11 March 23 Khyber Agency 2 50 March 25 Bajaur Agency 1 0 March 31 Bajaur Agency 0 0 May 1 Khyber Agency 1 18 May 1 Landi Kotal 0 1 May 3 Akbar Shaheed 0 0 May 15 Spinka Raghda 1 1 May 18 North Waziristan 1 1 May 18 North Waziristan 0 0 May 19 Bajaur Agency 3 2 May 23 Khyber Agency 1 3 May 26 Bajaur Agency 0 0 May 27 Bajaur Agency 8 4 May 31 Mohmand Agency 4 3 May 31 Miranshah 0 0 June 3 Kurram Agency 4 7 June 4 Miranshah 0 0 June 10 Miranshah 0 2 June 22 Malakand 1 2 June 30 Khyber Agency 7 8 July 8 Bajaur Agency 0 0 July 9 Kurram Agency 1 0 July 9 Khyber Agency 0 0 July 9 Khyber Agency 0 0 July 10 Kurram Agency 3 6 July 10 Kurram Agency 4 5 July 10 Kurram Agency 1 0 July 10 Bajaur Agency 1 2 July 18 Khyber Agency 1 0 July 28 Khyber Agency 0 0 August 4 South Waziristan 0 9 August 7 Bajaur Agency 5 0 August 7 Bajaur Agency 1 2 August 14 Mohmand Agency 0 0 August 16 Bajaur Agency 0 0 August 28 Siddiqabad 0 0 September 8 Dandi Derpakhel 61 0 September 17 Sadda area 0 0 September 24 Salarzai 2 7 September 24 Miranshah 0 1 September 25 Maro Khel 0 3 October 5 Salarzai 0 7 October 8 Tauheed 0 0 October 10 Khadezai 85 200 October 14 Kanju 0 0 October 16 Sam area 2 0 October 19 Qambarkhel 1 1 October 26 Mohmand Agency 11 5 November 2 Zalai Fort 8 4 November 5 Taida 1 1 November 6 Salarzai jirga 22 45 November 8 Warsak 0 2 November 10 Salarzai 1 0 November 10 Mamoond 0 4 November 12 Jamrud 0 0 November 20 Badan 9 0 November 21 Miranshah 0 2 November 21 Jamrud 0 3 November 27 Wana 5 2 November 29 Landikotal 2 0 December 2 Machni 0 3 December 5 Kalaia 6 8 December 22 Pandyali 0 0 December 24 Miranshah 0 0 December 29 Torkham 0 0 December 31 Wana 0 0

        
                        http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/pakistan/Waziristan/datasheet/2008.htm

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Shopkeepers want goodwill amount back

Shopkeepers want goodwill amount back

Saturday, January 17, 2009 By Bureau report

PESHAWAR: Shopkeepers expelled from Parachinar during the recent spell of sectarian violence have demanded of the government to pay compensation for the losses they suffered and seal the shops they left behind. Addressing a news conference at Peshawar Press Club on Friday, Rahim Shah and Rehmat Shah said their houses and shops were looted and burnt during the sectarian violence and they were expelled from the agency. "After expulsion from the agency, we took shelter in Kohat district," Rahim said. The shopkeepers said they had submitted a huge amount of advance with the landlord of their shops. "We know that our shops have been looted and our houses burnt. But now the landlords of our shops have rented the shops out further and refused to repay our advances amounting to Rs1.2 million to us," they said. They demanded of the NWFP governor and political administration of Kurram Agency to ensure repayment of the advance to them.. "We are compelled to live a refugee life in our own country. We have nothing to lead our life smoothly. Therefore, the government should pay us compensation so that we could restart our life with new zeal," they said. Hussain Shah Bangash, vice-president PML-Q and Dr Pir Alamsher Bangash of PML-N were also present on the occasion.

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Sectarian strife

Tuesday, January 13, 2009 The renewed clashes in the Hangu district of NWFP, where 40 people have been killed within three days, brings back memories of the terrible fighting in the area, along sectarian lines, that has already claimed hundreds of lives in recent months. Tribes, broken up into Sunnis and Shias, have once more been battling each other. Tensions seem to have risen with the advent of the Muslim month of mourning – Muharrum – an occasion that has repeatedly triggered violence over the past decade. This is of course immensely sad, given the sanctity of the month for Muslims of all sects. So far, tribal elders attempting to mediate between the fighting tribes have failed to restore peace in Hangu. Even if they do achieve a breakthrough, one fears that it will be short-lived. This, after all, is what has happened each time in the past. Periods of peace have been followed by resumed phases of intense fighting. The sectarian violence in areas such as Parachinar in the Kurram Agency has resulted in what amounts to a brutal ethnic cleansing. It is said large pockets of Shias have been entirely wiped out or else have fled, fearful of death. It is unfortunate that this should still happen in a day and age that is described as 'civilised'. We have seen too many episodes of repeated sectarian violence. The government needs to step in and act. It is senseless to simply ignore what is happening or hope that it will just go away. Even if another period of peace is enforced, the risk is that at some point in the future the underlying tensions will erupt once more. What we need is a policy to address the root causes of sectarian hatred. Through curriculums, through the immensely powerful media and by enforcing the laws that exist to safeguard against the dissemination of hate, a concerted effort to turn back the clock must be initiated. It is true that sectarian strife was a reality in Hangu even decades ago, but the degree of violence has increased markedly since then. It must be stopped before it tears apart the fabric of a society that has forgotten the need to tolerate each other and to live together in peace, regardless of belief, race or other similar factors.   You can share topics like culture, beauty, people, and sights of parachinar kurram agency. so PLEASE SEND your fotos and videos about parachinar. Ali Zai, Sada, Zeran, Malana, Pewar, Kerman.... love, beuty, Thanks Click to join parachinar616 Subscribe to parachinar616   Powered by us.groups.yahoo.com

46 Die in Taliban Attack on Pakistani Troops

By RICHARD A. OPPEL Jr. and PIR ZUBAIR SHAH
Published: January 11, 2009

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/12/world/asia/12pstan.html?hp

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan —
At the same time, a separate and equally deadly battle played out just 60 miles to the south. Gangs of Sunnis and Shiites fought each other, rampaging through the villages of the Hangu district over the weekend, destroying dozens of homes and leaving at least 40 people dead between the rival groups, according to reports from authorities carried by Pakistani news media and accounts from local residents. Hundreds of Taliban fighters rushed in to support Sunni gangs, as government attack helicopters hovered overhead, trying to intimidate gunmen into withdrawing.
“Both sides are trying to overrun each other’s villages,” said Abdul Rehman, a Sunni and resident of Hangu. He estimated that 60 people had died and said the incoming Taliban fighters appeared eager to drive Shiites out of the region. “They seem to be bent on settling this Shia question for good.”
Taken together, the battles underscored the persistent lawlessness in Pakistan’s border region with Afghanistan, where Taliban militants and other warlords have tightened their grip despite the Pakistani military’s attempts to make inroads in the past year.
The assault in Mohmand was particularly troubling. In the past, militants have often pulled away from high concentrations of Pakistani troops, only to return later. But this time, an estimated 600 Taliban fighters directly assaulted a paramilitary base at Mamad Gatt, according to Frontier Corps officials.
The western tribal areas have been a haven for Pakistani Taliban forces who stage attacks in Afghanistan, and they have been a focus for American diplomats, who have pressed the Pakistani government to do more to disrupt the flow.
But this attack involved mostly Taliban from the Afghan side of the border, who flooded into the mountainous area and joined with Pakistani fighters in the assault.
Armed with rocket-propelled grenade launchers and machine guns, the militants swarmed the Mamad Gatt fort on Saturday night and fought heavily through the morning, according to one Frontier Corps officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release information. By Sunday afternoon, he said, most militants had left, though there were still scattered skirmishes.
The battle took place in a district formally known as the Mohmand Agency, one of seven semiautonomous agencies along the border. Mohmand is northwest of Peshawar, the frontier hub city of three million that has come under increasing pressure from Taliban encroachment.
The Frontier Corps’ estimate of 40 dead militants could not be independently confirmed. According to some local reports, a number of Pakistani soldiers were captured, in addition to the six killed and seven wounded.
According to a Pashto-language television channel, one Taliban fighter who was killed was a midlevel commander in his 20s, Muslim Khan, also known as Garang, who was responsible for detaining a reporter and photographer for The New York Times in Mohmand in July.
The fighting over the weekend also followed the Pakistani military’s decision in late December to move about 5,000 troops abruptly from deployments in western Pakistan eastward to locations that would allow the military to defend the border with India more quickly if armed conflict broke out. Pakistani officials say more than 100,000 troops remain in the west.
The separate violence, in the Hangu district, involved a flaring of sectarian tensions after Shiites protested that a curfew forbade them from turning out for an important religious procession.
According to local residents, a large number of Shiites who live on the road from Hangu to Kohat marched toward Hangu to confront authorities about the curfew. Fighting then erupted with Sunnis who live in the area.
Hundreds of Taliban fighters — some in pickups with truck-bed-mounted machine guns — flooded into Hangu from the neighboring Orakzai district prepared to fight on the side of the Sunnis, despite reports that an assembly of local tribal elders had agreed to a cease-fire on Sunday. Sunni guerrillas fired on Shiite enclaves with mortars and reportedly seized a Shiite mosque and madrasa.
The Taliban from Orakzai Agency are under the command of Hakimullah Mehsud, a lieutenant of the warlord Baitullah Mehsud. Most of the Sunnis in Hangu belong to the same tribe as the Orakzai fighters.
The Shiites got help from members of the Turi tribe from another adjoining district, Kurram Agency, some residents said.
“Our force consists of young and inexperienced boys who are educated and as such don’t know the art of fighting heavily armed Taliban,” said one Shiite resident, Muzaffar Khan

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Allama Abid Hussain

Sunday, January 11, 2009, Muharram-ul-Haram 13, 1430 A.H

Hangu under curfew for fourth consecutive day

Updated at: 1545 PST, Friday, January 09, 2009 HANGU: The curfew remained continued for fourth consecutive day in Hangu whereas closure of Kohat- Parachinar road created problems for the masses.According to official sources, the curfew was imposed in the area on Tuesday to maintain law and order during Muharramul Haram. Entry and exit routes have been closed for traffic. Local administration said curfew would continue for indefinite period.

Yum e Aashur peacefully observed in NWFP, Fata amid tight security

Associated Press Of Pakistan ( Pakistan's Premier NEWS Agency )

PESHAWAR, Jan 8 (APP)- Like other parts of the country ‘Yum-e-Ashur’, the 10th of Moharram, commemorating the sacrifice of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) and his companions at Karbala, was observed peacefully across the NWFP and tribal agencies on Thursday with religious fervor amid tight security measures adopted by the law-enforcing agencies.
The law enforcing agencies had sealed the areas close to the Imambargahs in the Provincial Capital to avoid the possibility of any mishap and no stranger was allowed to enter those areas while there was total shutter down and traffic was off the road throughout the day.
Security in-charge Peshawar, Capital City Police Chief Sifwat Ghayyur had made elaborate arrangements to ensure peaceful observance of the Holy occasion as previous two Muharrams in the provincial capital were marred by deadliest blasts which also claimed the life of the then city police chief Malik Saad and scores of others civilians.
Sensitve spots in Peshawar like Qissa Khwani, Kocha Risaldar, Kohati Gate, Mohallah Khudadad, Nasir Khan Chowk, Chowk Shahbaz, and Bijori Gate were duly covered by the law enforcers and had occupied all the roof tops of the houses in these areas to monitor the Zuljinah processions. Whereas all the entry and exit points to the city were effectively blocked. Over a dozens Alam and Zuljinnah processions were taken from various Imam Bargahs in Peshawar on 10th of Muharram.
In Peshawar, over s dozen Alam and Zuljinnah processions were taken out from various Imam Bargahs. The main procession was taken out from Imam Bargah Alamdar Karbala near Qissa Khawani Bazaar this afternoon. The procession after passing through its traditional routes terminated at its starting point. Similar processions were also taken out in different areas of the province including D.I.Khan, Kohat, Haripur, Hangu and Parachinar.
Ulema and Zakireen addressed the participants of procession at various points and highlighted different aspects of the philosophy of the tragedy of Karbala. Sham-e-Ghariban will be held tonight. Ulema and Zakireen will address the mourners and highlight sacrifices rendered by Hazrat Imam Hussain (R.A) and his companions for the supremacy of Islam.
Quick Response Force is patrolling on different sites round the clock to thwart any untoward incident.
Small and big Zuljinnah processions were taken out all around the frontier province to pay homage to Hazrat Imam Hussain and his companions-the martyrs of Karbala. The processions after passing through their traditional routes terminated at the main Imambargahs. Ulema and Zakireen highlighted the spirit and teachings of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) and the need for forging unity to meet the present challenges.
Imambargahs and places where Majalis were being held are under strict security cover, while control rooms have also been established at different places to monitor deployment, co-ordination and patrol between officials performing field duties. Peace Committees are also closely monitoring the law and order situation.
The Federal Government had already declared public holidays on 9th and 10th of Moharram to help observe the day with reverence. Regional and local newspapers brought out special supplements while Radio and TV Channels present special programs as well as “Shaam-e-Ghribaan” symbolizing the day.
The administrations of various city hospitals had made special arrangements to deal with any emergency during Ashura. Additional staff has been deputed in emergency and surgical wards, while life-saving and other medicines have also been made available. Mobile medical units and ambulances would provide first aid during the Zuljinnah processions.
In other districts and tribal agencies, Zuljinnah processions were taken out amid tight security arrangements and curfew was imposed in Hangu district, dominated by Ahle tashi. Similarly over 20 mourning procession appeared in DIKhan and peacefully culminated after parading their traditional routes. Howver the DIKhan police defused a rocket on receiving information.
In Kurram agency, main Zuljinnah procession was taken out from Markazi Imambargah Parachinar and terminated at the same point after marching on Kurram Milita, Tori Qabristan and Hazara Qabristan. Over 300 mourners’ procession were held in Kurram Agency.