NAWABSHAH   -  Commissioner Syed Mohsin Ali Shah on Saturday presided over a meeting to review arrangements for Muharram-ul-Haram and discuss matters relating to security.

DIG Irfan Ali Baloch, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Shaheed Benazir Abad Abrar Ahmed Jaffer, DC Sanghar Dr Imran-ul-Hassan Khuwaja, Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Naushehroferoze Muhammad Tashfeen Alam, SSP Shaheed BenazirAbad Captain (Retd) Ameer Saud Magsi, Additional Director Local Government, officers of law enforcement agencies, HESCO, SEPCO, Health, Education, Municipal, heads of religious parties, Ulema and peace committee members also attended the meeting.

Addressing the meeting, the commissioner urged Ulema and Zaakrin to play their role for maintaining interfaith harmony and sanctity of the sacred month. The commissioner said that the strict compliance would be ensured on the code of conduct issued by the Sindh government due to the prevailing epidemic situation.

He said that disinfectant spray would also be carried out in mourning and worship places ahead of the start of Muharram-ul-Haram while wearing masks and maintaining social distance to be ensured. The commissioner said that to arrange mourning procession and majlis without permit was barred besides sale of literature based on animosity and hate was not allowed during Ashura days, failing which strict action would be taken against the violators.

The commissioner directed all DCs to set up corona vaccination camps during majaalis and mourning processions and action to be taken for removal of wall chalking and posters mentioning religious hate with the help of municipal staff. The commissioner said that in order to monitor majlis and mourning processions and resolving matters, control rooms were set up at divisional, district and taluka level.

Addressing the meeting, DIG Irfan Ali Baloch said that police personnel and law enforcement agencies are working with close cooperation for maintaining law and order situation; however, people, Ulema and organisers of majlis and mourning processions should also cooperate with district administration and law enforcement agencies. The DIG also urged them to keep a vigilant eye on the movement of suspicious persons and inform security institutions about it.

The DIG further said that monitoring and recording of majlis and mourning processions to be carried out through CCTV cameras. Deputy Commissioners of all 3 districts apprised the meeting about the arrangements made for Muharram Ashura said that all relevant departments and Ulema have been directed to implement compliance over corona related SOPs and maintain law and order situation while ensuring cleanliness and availability of medicines a contingency plan was prepared and relevant staff was assigned duties besides peace committees were also constituted for this purpose at division, district and taluka level.

Ulema belonging to different schools of thought expressed their views and assured their complete cooperation with district administration.