Click here to read list of injured people in Raja Bazar Rawalpindi violence
Latest updates:
Curfew imposes in Rawalpindi. Click here to read update story
List of police stations under curfew in Rawalpindi
By Agha Iqrar Haroon
RAWALPINDI: Curfew has been imposed in Rawalpindi on the request of Commissioner of rawalpindi Division. At least 12 persons were killed while more than 37 others sustained injuries as chaos and violence erupted in Raja Bazar located in Rawalpindi on Friday evening after unknown miscreants opened gunfire near the doorway of a central procession of the 10th Muharram, police sources said. However Shia community claims that firing was resorted from a religious school of Deoband sect of Islam. Mobile Service will remain closed in Rawalpindi for next 2 days. It may be mentioned that mobile phone service was suspended for two days in Pakistan to avoid any terrorism and service was supposed to open on November 15 midnight. JUI chief Mualana Fazlur Rehman has demanded security to take JUI members out of Darul Aloom Madrisah from where some people allegedly opened fire on Shia procession. Shia community in Pakistan claims that JUI has been involved directly or indirectly killing shias in Pakistan as Deoband sect considers shia kafir. However JUI has been in power with all political parties in past since 1977 therefore no action has ever been taken against its activities. meanwhile JUI denies all these allegations.
The sources said that unknown miscreants opened gunfire near Raja Bazar’s Fawara Chowk at which a wave of anger gripped the people and they set some shops in the cloth market on fire after demolishing them. Provoked people also snatched arms from duty policemen.
The situation prompted the authorities to call army to control the situation. While fire tenders were also called by the authorities to extinguish the fire. It may be mentioned that Pakistan authorities arrested around 27 terrorists from different parts of the country who were planning to attack Shia processions of Ashura. All arrested terrorists belong to Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), claim police sources.
Ashura (10th of Moharram), was observed on November 15, 2013 with due solemnity and sanctity to remember the sacrifice rendered by Hazrat Imam Hussain (R.A) and his companions in Karbala. Majalis (religious gatherings) and mourning processions were held across the country to highlight the philosophy of Karbala incident and pay tributes to the martyrs.
Hussain ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib (11 or 13 January 626 CE – 13 October 680 CE) (3rd / 5th Sha’aban 4 AH – 10th Muharram 61 AH) was the son of Ali ibn Abi Ṭalib (final Rashidun Caliph and first Shia Imam) and Fatimah Zahra (daughter of the Islamic prophet Muhammad) and the younger brother of Hasan ibn Ali.
Hussein is highly regarded by Muslims because he refused to pledge allegiance to Yazid I the Umayyad caliph because he considered the rules of the Umayyads unjust. As a consequence, he left Medina, his home town, and traveled to Mecca. There, the people of Kufa sent letters to him, asking his help and pledging their allegiance to him. So he traveled to Kufa.
There, his caravan was intercepted by Yazid’s army. He was killed and beheaded in the Battle of Karbala in 680 (61 AH) by Shimr Ibn Thil-Jawshan, along with most of his family and companions.[8] The annual memorial for him, his family, his children and his As’haab (companions) is called Ashura (tenth day of Muharram) and is a day of mourning for Shia Muslims. Anger at Husayn’s death was turned into a rallying cry that helped undermine and ultimately overthrow the Umayyad Caliphate.
Strict security measures were taken to provide security to religious gatherings as the government has suspended cellular phone services in over 80 cities besides banning pillion-riding on motorbikes in various sensitive cities, including Karachi, Hyderabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore and Quetta.
In Lahore‚ the main Zuljinnah procession was taken out from Nisar Hawaili at midnight last night. It was terminate at the Karbala Gamay Shah this evening after passing through its traditional routes.
In Peshawar‚ the main procession was taken out from Imambargah Qissa Khawani Bazar after Zohar prayers. It was culminate at the same point after passing through its traditional routes.
In Karachi‚ the main procession of Ashura was taken out from Nishtar Park which after walking through its traditional route of MA Jinnah road will be culminated at Hossania Imam Bargah in Kharadar.
In Quetta‚ the main procession of youm-e-Ashoor was taken out from Imambargah Alamdar road today and will terminate at the same point.
In different parts of the country, a number of Alam‚ Tazia and Zuljinnah processions were also taken out.
Tags:
Yaum-e-Ashur 2013
Seven killed
violence erupts in Raja Bazar Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi
raja bazar rawalpindi shops set on fire
raja bazar violence
raja bazaar firing 2013
