Pakistan sets up coordination centers to maintain law and order during Muharram

Islamabad: Prime Minister Imran Khan’s special assistant on the Middle East, Tahir Ashrafi, said on Monday the government had set up coordination centers across the country to maintain law and order during the Muslim mourning month of Muharram, when Shi’ite Muslims hold large public processions.
Last week, the National Command and Operations Center (NCOC), which oversees Pakistan’s pandemic response, issued a list of protocols to prevent the spread of the coronavirus during Muharram, calling on devotees to hold congregations and mourning sessions while wearing face masks and keeping a physical distance of six feet.
The Muharram moon was sighted in Pakistan on August 9, heralding the new Islamic year, 1443 AH. Youm-e-Ashura, which marks the martyrdom of the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), will be observed on August 19 this year, with large processions expected around the country.
“Ideal arrangements have been made for maintaining law and order in Muharram ul Haram and quick response is being made on any complaint received across the country to thwart any untoward situation,” Ashrafi said in a statement on Sunday, thanking religious scholars and leaders of all schools of thought for their “coordination and cooperation.”
He added that religious scholars would also announce disassociating themselves from those “who have been involved in making sacrilegious comments, denigration and degradation of holy places.”
Ashrafi urged the masses to follow COVID-19 related “precautionary measures”.
“Do not allow any individual to enter the premises without face mask,” an NCOC statement last week said, adding that masks should be available at the entrance of all venues, and people given instructions regarding their proper use to ensure their nose and mouth are covered.
The list of new safety protocols also included that devotees use their own prayer mats and rosaries while attending public gatherings and called for a media campaign to create greater awareness among the masses about COVID-19 to ensure a “safe Ashura.”