RAWALPINDI: Alleducationalinstitutions and markets on the route of procession marking the chehlum of Imam Husain will be closed today (Thursday).

Educational institutions in the cantonment areas will stay open.

The district administration and law enforcement have completed arrangements for the procession, and police, Rangers and military personnel have been deployed in the city.

The district administration has asked shopkeepers in Raja Bazaar to close their markets on Wednesday evening. The administration has placed shipping containers to close of streets and roads on the procession route.

It has also established a control room to monitor the procession using CCTV cameras. Footage from the cameras was also transferred to the main control room in Lahore starting Wednesday night.

Educational institutions and seminaries on the traditional procession route, including Taleemul Quran in Raja Bazaar, have already declared Thursday a holiday.

Commissioner retired Capt Mohammad Mehmood told Dawn that the army and Rangers will help the district administration and police maintain law and order in case of an emergency.

He said the control room has been activated and hospitals are on red alert. In ameeting to review arrangements for the day, Mr Mahmood asked religious leaders from various sects to play a role in maintaining peace in the city.

He said religious leaders of all sects would lead the procession along with district officials and police to prevent sectarian violence.

Traffic arrangements The City Traffic Police have devised a plan for the chehlum of Imam Husain under which 14 diversions will be set up and 207 traf fic police of ficials deployed to keep traffic flowing smoothly in Rawalpindi on Thursday.

Iqbal Road will be closed to traf fic f rom Committee Chowk.

The chief traf fic officer said three deputy superintendents of police, 14 inspectors, 152 wardens and 38 junior wardens will be deployed in the city to facilitate mourners in their respective areas and maintain traf fic.

A spokesperson for the traffic police said that diversions will be in place while DAV College Road will be closed to traf fic for security purposes. No vehicle will be allowed to head towards Fawara Chowk from DAV College Chowk as the chehlum procession will pass through there.

Traffic will not be permitted from Novelty Cinema and Kashmiri Bazaar, he added. Traffic will be diverted back towards Transit Camp for Saddar, and a diversion will be in place near the CityPolice Station to divert traffic from Novelty Cinema towards Ganjmandi.

All the traffic from Ganjmandi will be diverted to Dhoke Hassu and Pirwadhai to reach Saddar.

There will also be a diversion on Shah Allah Ditta Road to move traffic to Dhoke Dalal, T.B. Hospital and Asghar Mall Chowk.

Motorists are being advised not to take Banni Chowk, Kartarpura Road and Jamia Masjid Road because of the procession. A diversion will also be in place near Roshan Bakery by Banni Chowk where traf fic from link roads will be sent back.

Traffic sent back from Banni Chowk will take Circular Road via Saipur Road to Murree Road. Another diversion will be in place on Hamilton Road and no vehicle will be allowed towards Bansa Wala Bazaar and Dingi Khoi, and traf fic will be diverted to Ganjmandi Road.

There will be another diversion on Bansanwala Chowk as no traffic will be permitted towards Jamia Masjid Road, and all the vehicles will be diverted to Pirwadhai Road. Another diversion will be put in place on Pir Choha Chowk, as no vehicle will be allowed towards Baltistani Imambargah and all the traffic will be diverted to Asghar Mall Scheme Chowk and Pirwadhai.

Chelum procession in Islamabad The Chehlum of Hazrat Imam Hussain (AS) was held in the federal capital on Wednesday amid strict security.However, contrary to the traditions in the religious gatherings, a large number of pardcipants had brought the nadonal flags.

Talking to mediapersons, Deputy Secretary General Majlis Wahdat Muslimeen Nasir Shirazi said everybody here feels that we should never allow Pakistan to be plunged into crises that were sown Libya, Lebanon, Somalia, etc.

He was talking to media in the procession, and similar statements were given by Allama Arif Wahidi, secretary general Islami Tehreek and member of Council of Islamic Ideology (CII).

He said those spreading sectarian hatred are mostly affiliated with banned groups and even involved in terror attacks against the state.

Allama also demanded that the ICT administration should relax security structure around the procession as normalcy has largely returned in the country due to successful operations against the terrorists.

The Chehlum procession of Islamabad started at mid day from Imambarghah in G-6, after majalis, and terminated there after passing through its designated route.

A large number of f aithful participated in the procession, highlighting the sacrifices rendered by Imam Husain (AS) and his companions in Karbala.

The mourners were reciting Noha and beat their chests, while some were caning themselves with chains in sorrow and in remembrance to the f amily of Hazrat Ali.