Islamabad, July 6, 2026: Pakistan observed Yaum-i-Ashura on Friday with solemn mourning processions and religious gatherings across the country to commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Husain (RA) and his companions in the Battle of Karbala in 680 AD, amid unprecedented security arrangements involving hundreds of thousands of security personnel, Rangers and Army troops.
Federal and provincial authorities implemented elaborate security plans, including partial suspension of mobile phone services, deployment of snipers, aerial surveillance, artificial intelligence-based monitoring systems, CCTV networks and strict traffic management to ensure peaceful observance of the occasion.
In Karachi, the central Ashura procession began from Nishtar Park at around 9:30am and concluded at Imambargah Hussainia Iranian after passing through its traditional route.
In Lahore, the main procession emerged from Nisar Haveli and culminated at Karbala Gama Shah later in the evening.
The central procession in Rawalpindi departed from Imambargah Ashiq Hussain in Taili Mohallah and concluded at Imambargah Qadeemi, while no Ashura procession was scheduled in Islamabad.
In Hyderabad, mourners took out the central procession from Qadam Gah Maula Ali on Station Road to Karbala Dadan Shah.
Peshawar hosted 12 Ashura processions, with the first commencing from Imambargah Agha Syed Ali Shah near Meena Bazaar and others departing from different parts of the city throughout the afternoon.
Authorities confirmed that all mourning processions and majalis in Multan concluded peacefully.
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah joined a mourning procession in Karachi and said approximately 60,000 police and Rangers personnel had been deployed across the province to secure more than 1,600 Muharram processions.
Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hasan Lanjar said 53,000 police officers and 6,000 to 7,000 Rangers personnel were performing security duties, while the Pakistan Army remained on standby. He confirmed that mobile phone services had been suspended in sensitive areas across the province.
Karachi Police Chief Azad Khan had earlier announced the deployment of around 20,000 police personnel, including 6,500 officers assigned specifically to the city’s main Ashura procession. Mobile phone and internet services were suspended along the procession route, while M.A. Jinnah Road remained closed from Gurumandir to Tower, with commuters advised to use alternate routes.
Authorities placed Rawalpindi under heightened security with the deployment of five Army companies, seven Rangers companies and more than 8,000 police personnel, including 5,500 officers assigned to the main Ashura procession.
On the recommendation of intelligence agencies, the Punjab government suspended Metro Bus Service operations between Rawalpindi and Islamabad because the main procession passes beneath the metro track along Murree Road.
Section 144 has been imposed across Rawalpindi district. Police have sealed roads and streets along procession routes, deployed snipers on rooftops, established special checkpoints at city entry and exit points and introduced a mobile application for identity verification at security pickets and bus terminals.
More than 2,000 CCTV cameras and two central video monitoring control rooms are overseeing processions and sensitive locations across the city.
Overall, 475 processions and 2,201 majalis are being held across Rawalpindi district during Muharram.
Punjab authorities have deployed more than 125,000 police personnel under a comprehensive three-tier security strategy, supported by 61 Army companies, 76 Rangers companies and over 30,000 trained volunteers.
Security operations are being monitored using advanced surveillance technologies, including AI-based monitoring systems, 5,600 CCTV cameras, 1,000 4G event cameras, body-worn cameras and geo-tagged video monitoring.
The Provincial Intelligence Centre is conducting round-the-clock monitoring through a digital surveillance wall.
Lahore Police Chief Bilal Siddique Kamyana said more than 15,000 police officers had been deployed in the provincial capital, supported by four central control rooms, 600 additional surveillance cameras and rooftop sniper teams along all procession routes.
Punjab’s Home Department also announced the partial suspension of mobile phone services until 10pm at religious gathering sites in 24 districts, including Rawalpindi, Attock, Chakwal, Faisalabad, Multan, Sahiwal, Dera Ghazi Khan, Bahawalnagar and Rahim Yar Khan.
Medical and emergency services, including Rescue 1122, Civil Defence teams, mobile health units and field hospitals, remained on standby throughout the province, while sanitation workers ensured cleanliness along procession routes.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, authorities deployed 43,317 police personnel across the province, including 12,000 officers in Peshawar alone.
Security arrangements include three-layered protection for processions, deployment of bomb disposal squads, sniffer dogs, rapid response units, plainclothes personnel, rooftop marksmen and more than 1,000 traffic police officers.
Ashura processions and majalis are being monitored through the Safe City surveillance network.
According to police, of the province’s 614 imambargahs, 127 have been classified as highly sensitive, 262 as sensitive and 225 as normal. A total of 907 Muharram processions are being held across KP, including 286 highly sensitive processions.
Chief Minister Sohail Afridi visited the Command Post at Kohati to review security arrangements and inspect the central Muharram control room.
The Balochistan government has deployed over 32,000 security personnel, including more than 17,000 officers in Quetta, where forces from the Police, Frontier Corps, Balochistan Constabulary, Rapid Response Force, Anti-Terrorist Force and Anti-Riot Force are performing security duties.
Authorities have sealed shops, markets and commercial centres located along procession routes. Aerial surveillance and an extensive CCTV network are monitoring the main Ashura processions, while mobile phone and internet services have been suspended across Quetta and other sensitive areas during the observance.
Authorities across Pakistan have advised commuters to follow alternate traffic routes due to road closures around procession routes. Security agencies remain on high alert throughout the country to ensure the peaceful observance of Yaum-i-Ashura, one of the most significant days in the Islamic calendar commemorating the sacrifice of Imam Husain (RA) and his companions at Karbala.
