PESHAWAR: The inner city has been sealed and many trade centres have been closed till Friday as part of upgraded security arrangements for Ashura Muharram.
Three-layer security has been deployed for the routes of the Muharram processions and majalis in different imambargahs in Peshawar. The main trade centres in Kohati, Kochi Bazaar, Qissa Khwani, Peepal Mandi, Meena Bazaar and other areas have been closed till Friday. The roads in these areas have also been closed.
Around 12,000 police and traffic personnel are deployed to perform the Muharram duty in Peshawar. Traffic has been diverted to alternative routes after the closure of many roads in the inner city.
Police officials said the processions were being monitored via cameras of the Peshawar Safe City project as well as drones. Security has been on high alert due to threats and the worsening law and order in different parts of KP.
Inspector General of Police Zulfiqar Hameed said that over 45,000 policemen have been deployed for security during Muharram across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Security has been upgraded for 614 imambargahs, 8,862 majalis, and 907 processions. Along with 45,000 police personnel deployed for Muharram duties, 134 platoons of the Frontier Corps, along with the Pakistan Army and other law enforcement agencies, will assist in security operations.
