Sindh seeks Army deployment during Muharram

KARACHI - Following the incidents of attacks on shrines, the Sindh Police have recommended deployment of Pak Army in Kambar-Shahdadkot, Jacobabad and northern parts of Sindh during upcoming Muharram-ul-Haram, officials told The Nation.
The concerned commissioners and police officers during a high level meeting held under the chairmanship of Sindh Chief Secretary presented the report of law and order situation in context of upcoming Islamic month of Muharram with their suggestions.
Following Karachi, the Larkana division is declared the most sensitive where 63 troubled areas have been identified by the administration, said the sources.
A report presented in the meeting, a copy of it also available with The Nation, carried figures of religious seminaries with sects and recommendations to deploy Army personnel in context of the likely scenario of law and order during Muharram in the northern Sindh.
According to the police report, out of total 298 Imambargahs, at least 63 spots of processions and Imambargahs have been declared most sensitive in Larkana region.
The district-wise statistic of the troubled areas showed that 17 areas/routes of Muharram processions are sensitive in Larkana, 13 in Kambar-Shahdadkot, six in Shikarpur, 11 in Jacobabad and 16 Imambargahs have been declared sensitive in Kashmore.
Telling details with reasons of the troubled areas, the report stated that Sunni mosques, seminaries and majority of Sunni population will fall in the way of Muharram processions in Larkana regions so these have been declared most sensitive.
It may be mentioned here that a shrine was recently attacked in Shikarpur city. A ‘Gadi Nasheen’ of the shrine had also come under attack in Kambar district.
The report showed that a huge number of 294 religious seminaries are situated in Larkana regions which are associated with all sects, including Deobandi, Brailvi, Sipah-e-Sahaba and Shia sects.
A total of 66 seminaries are situated in Larkana district, out of which at least 25 are of Deobandi, 36 of Brailvi, one of Sipah-e-Sahab and four of Shia sects.
Similarly there are total 56 seminaries in Kambar-Shahdadkot district, out of which 32 are of Deobandi, 21 of Brailvi and three of Shia sects in while 42 are of Deobandi, eight of Brailvi and one of Shia sect in Shikarpur district.
Out of 52 seminaries, 30 are of Deobandi sect, 17 of Brailvi and five of Shia sect are situated in Jacobabad while 46 of Deobandi sect, 22 of Brailvi and one of Shia sect among 69 seminaries are located in Kashmore district, which is the border area of Balochistan.