Tight security arrangements were put in place across the country to protect mourning processions and gatherings, with law enforcement agencies deploying hundreds of thousands of personnel in major cities.

Karachi

The central procession in Karachi emerged from Nishtar Park following a majlis-e-aza and concluded at Hussainia Iraniya imambargah in Kharadar.

Mourners recited nohas and performed matam throughout the march.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, along with provincial ministers and senior officials, attended the procession.

MQM leader Farooq Sattar and Sindh Governor Nihal Hashmi also participated. Mourners offered Zuhr and Asr prayers at Tibet Centre, led by Allama Shahansah Hussain Naqvi.

Heavy contingents of police and Rangers were deployed, with the entire route under continuous surveillance.

Lahore

The central procession in Lahore emerged from Nisar Haveli and concluded at Karbala Gamay Shah, arriving approximately one hour behind schedule.

Sabeels providing milk and water were set up along the route for mourners.

Across Punjab, nearly 100,000 police personnel were deployed to provide security for 2,732 processions and 2,567 majalis held throughout the province.

In Lahore alone, security arrangements covered 45 processions and 231 majalis.

Walk-through gates, metal detectors, plainclothes commandos and snipers were positioned along procession routes. The Safe Cities Authority and district control rooms maintained round-the-clock monitoring.

Rawalpindi

The central procession in Rawalpindi emerged from Colonel Maqbool Imambargah and concluded at the Old Imambargah.

Mourners offered Zuhr and Asr prayers at Fawara Chowk before performing zanjeer matam and qama zani. Langar was also distributed along the route.

More than 8,000 security personnel were deployed for the procession, including over 5,500 for the central march alone.

More than 1,200 traffic police officers and 1,000 volunteers assisted with crowd management. Over 2,000 Safe City and other cameras monitored the route throughout the day.

Quetta

The central procession in Quetta emerged from Shahuda Chowk on Alamdar Road and passed through its traditional routes before concluding back on Alamdar Road. The procession included 35 matami dastaas. Mourners offered Jumu’ah prayers at Bacha Khan Chowk.

More than 30,000 security personnel were deployed across Balochistan, with over 8,000 in Quetta alone.

Aerial surveillance was conducted alongside CCTV monitoring. Mobile phone services were suspended in Quetta as a precautionary measure.

Eleven districts across Balochistan, including Quetta, were designated as highly sensitive. Shia religious and political organisations expressed satisfaction with the security arrangements.

Peshawar

In Peshawar, 12 processions were taken out on Youm-e-Ashur. The central procession commenced from Imambargah Agha Syed Ali Shah Rizvi and concluded at Imambargah Agha Mustafa Shah. The city had been sealed for three days as a precautionary measure.

Of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s 614 imambargahs, 127 were designated as highly sensitive and 262 as sensitive.

More than 10,000 police personnel were deployed in Peshawar, supported by Frontier Corps contingents.

A central command and control centre was established at Kohati Chowk, with aerial surveillance carried out throughout the day.

Majalis-e-Sham-e-Ghariban were held after Maghrib prayers across the city.

Youm-e-Ashur processions were also held peacefully in smaller cities across the country, including Toba Tek Singh, Tando Allahyar and other towns.

In Toba Tek Singh, the central procession emerged from the Hussainia Trust Imambargah on Jhang Road and concluded at its destination amid strict security.

In Tando Allahyar, mourning processions passed through their designated routes before concluding at Imambargah Sakhi Moj Darya and Imambargah Haideria.

Police ensured security along all procession routes in both cities.