Muharram security

Pakistan's long. painful encounter with sectarian violence is a reminder that security during Muharram cannot be treated as a routine administrative exercise. As the new Islamic year approaches. preparations for the mourning month intensify across the country, the state is right to place law-enforcement agencies on high alert. The deployment of police. Rangers and, where necessary, military personnel are essential safeguards against threats that have repeatedly targeted one of the most solemn periods in the Muslim calendar.

For much of the past four decades, terrorists have sought to exploit Muharram to sow fear and division. While Pakistan has witnessed a decline in large-scale sectarian attacks in recent years, complacency would be a grave mistake. Groups inspired by sectarian ideologies remain active,. transnational terrorist networks continue to view Pakistan as fertile ground for stoking religious discord. The deadly attack on an Imambargah in Islamabad earlier this year was a stark reminder. the threat has not disappeared. The challenge before the state is immense. Tens of thousands of mourning assemblies. thousands of processions will be held across the country during the first 10 days of Muharram alone. Punjab authorities have announced the deployment of over 124,000 police personnel to secure more than 47,000 religious gatherings, while similar arrangements are being made in Sindh, Balochistan. K-P. Surveillance cameras, aerial monitoring, control rooms, route security, rooftop deployment of snipers. specialised arrangements for women participants are all part of the security architecture being put in place. Worrying though is the conventional role of social media. A rumour originating in one city can inflame passions across the country within minutes. There can be no tolerance for those who use cyberspace to incite violence or promote communal hatred. However, the burden of maintaining peace cannot rest solely on the shoulders of the state. Religious scholars from all schools of thought have an equally important responsibility. Clerics participating in preparatory meetings across the provinces have pledged to promote inter-sect harmony and discourage rumours during their sermons.

Muharram commemorates sacrifice and steadfastness in the face of oppression. It should never become an occasion for hatred or violence. Pakistan's religious diversity is not a weakness to be exploited. The coming weeks will test the effectiveness of security institutions and the maturity of society itself.

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