PESHAWAR/QUETTA:
Authorities ordered the complete closure of all markets in the historic city center for four days, citing the precarious law and order situation during the solemn month of Muharram. Major commercial arteries, including Qissa Khwani Bazaar, Kohati Bazaar, Peepal Mandi Bazaar, Kochi Bazaar and Sarafa Bazaar, were closed with concertina barbed wire and heavy barricades, paralyzing trade.
Police commandos and paramilitary troops were deployed in large numbers in the provincial capital, with a central command post monitoring the processions in real time through a vast network of CCTV cameras. According to officials, more than 20 mourning processions were taken out on 6 Muharram, all following their traditional routes from various imambargahs before ending peacefully at their originating points.
“More than 10,000 security personnel are stationed across the city, with additional rapid response units positioned in sensitive locations,” a senior police official told reporters. “Command and control centers have been activated, and we are continuously monitoring every gathering and procession via CCTV to prevent any untoward incident.”
All entry and exit points of Peshawar have been placed under strict cordons with checks of vehicles and pedestrians intensified to the maximum. Authorities have also arranged alternative traffic routes to minimize public inconvenience, while a separate security plan has been issued for the 7 Muharram processions scheduled for today.
Quetta on the edge of the knife
Meanwhile, as part of a coordinated provincial response, the Balochistan government placed its entire security apparatus on red alert, placing 17 districts under strict surveillance to thwart possible sectarian violence. Following a high-level review session chaired by Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti on Monday, officials finalized a comprehensive security framework designed to maintain absolute peace in the restive province.
During the briefing, the Interior Ministry classified 11 districts as “highly critical” and six others as “sensitive”, with a dedicated emergency response plan specially developed for 9 and 10 Muharram, the most important commemoration days. The strategy involves early preventative sweeps along procession routes and around religious congregations, coupled with tiered security rings. Chief Minister Bugti asked the police to ensure transparent inter-agency coordination and operational harmony.
“Any individual attempting to incite sectarian discord or spread inflammatory rhetoric will face the full force of the law,” Bugti warned, emphasizing a zero-tolerance policy. “The primary duty of the state is to ensure the safety and protection of its citizens, and we will use all public resources to preserve a tranquil environment.”
Recognizing the delicate communal balance during Muharram, the provincial administration has also engaged religious leaders of various faiths.
