The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has declared eight districts of the province as sensitive during the Muharram processions. The districts include Peshawar, Kohat, Hangu, Dera Ismail Khan, Kurram, Orakzai, and Tank. Moreover, 4,500 places of worship were declared as the most sensitive during Muharram in these eleven districts of the province. Based on the information provided by the police and security forces, the Home Department has decided to deploy the police, Frontier Constabulary, and Frontier Corps to ensure security at these sensitive places of worship throughout Muharram. To prevent any untoward incidents, the police have been instructed to seal the routes of mourning processions in all these districts.

 The 1st of Muharram marks the start of the Islamic new year. The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee on Tuesday announced that the Muharram moon has not been sighted in Pakistan and Youm-e-Ashur — Muharram 10 — will be observed on July 29 (Saturday). According to a statement issued by the committee, the first of Muharram will fall on July 20 (Thursday). The meeting for the sighting was presided over by committee chairman Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad. While making the announcement, Maulana Azad said that meetings of zonal crescent sighting committees were held in all the provinces, but no evidence was received from any part of the country.

 
Credit : Independent News Pakistan-INP