LAHORE – Youme Ashur, the 10th of Muharram is being observed with religious fervour on Friday (today) in Pakistan and Azad Kashmir to commemorate the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain (AS), his 72 family members and companions at Karbala for upholding the glorious norms of Islam namely justice, truth, righteousness and piety.
Thursday and Friday are public holidays and all government offices and all other organisations including educational institutions, banks and commercial centres will remain closed.
In Lahore, the law-enforcement agencies sealed the entire Walled City, hours before the main Zuljannah procession was scheduled to appear from Nisar Haveli inside Mochi gate at about 10:00 pm on Thursday.
A Majlis-e-Aza was held at Nisar Haveli where top Shia elders were addressing thousands of mourners. Leading Shia and Sunni leaders were also present on the occasion.
The procession taken out from Nisar Haveli would march on its traditional route in Mohallah Shian inside Mochi Gate and move round 100 Imambargahs in the vicinity during the night. Then it will head towards Karbala Gamey Shah, its destination where it will terminate after sunset on Friday (today).
The procession will take a pause at Chowk Nawab Sahib, inside Mochi gate where the mourners will offer Fajr prayers and regroup after the prayers to set on their route. Here they will start beating their backs and chests with iron chains.
A number of small Zuljannah processions would also join the main procession which would march onward after emerging again from Chowk Nawab Sahib through Lakr Mandi, Chohatta Mufti Baqar, Old Kotwali, Kashmiri Bazaar, Rang Mahal.
At Rang Mahal, the mourners would halt for Zohr prayers and later proceed toward Soha Bazaar, Gumti Bazaar, Paniwala Talab, Tehsil Bazaar, Bazaar Hakeeman, Delhi Gate, Bhatti Chowk and finally to converge at Karbala Gamay Shah at Lower Mall Road.
A number of NGOs, voluntary welfare organisations and people at large have set up dispensaries, first aid posts, stalls of food and eatables.
ISO, Anjuman Hussainia, Red Crescent and City District Government fire brigade and sanitation staff have been put on high alert to perform their respective duties.