Pakistan PM calls for enhanced coordination with provinces for security in Muharram

A Shiite Muslim waves a flag during a procession on the ninth day of Ashura in the Islamic month of Muharram in Peshawar on July 28, 2023. (AFP/File)

• Ashura, 10th day of Islamic month of Muharram, is the holiest event in the Shia Muslim calendar
• It commemorates the 7th century death of Imam Hussain and his companions in Battle of Karbala

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday called on the country’s interior ministry to improve coordination with provinces as well as Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir regions for security during the month of Muharram, Pakistan state media reported.
Pakistan has historically experienced sectarian violence during Muharram, a significant month for Shia Muslims who observe mourning rituals to commemorate the martyrdom of the Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) grandson in the Battle of Karbala.
Ashura, the 10th day of the Islamic month of Muharram, is the holiest event in the Shia Muslim calendar and sees hundreds of thousands of Shia Muslims take part in religious gatherings and processions to mourn the passing of Imam Hussain.
PM Sharif held a meeting with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi in Islamabad, wherein the two figures discussed the law and order situation during the holy month, the Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported.
“Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has instructed to further improve harmony and coordination with provinces, including Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir over security matters during Muharram and especially on Ashura,” the report read.
Muharram processions and gatherings take place amid tight security in Pakistan as militant groups have often targeted them in the past and killed of hundreds of people in the South Asian country.
Pakistan’s interior ministry said this month it had not made any decision on requests by provinces to suspend Internet service to ensure security in Muharram.
Pakistan’s most populous Punjab province also proposed a ban on all social media platforms for six days due to security concerns regarding thousands of religious processions.