Hundreds of thousands of Pakistani Muslims carried out ‘Chehlum’ processions in different parts of the country to pay homage to the great sacrifice rendered by Hazrat Imam Hussein (AS) and his companions in Karbala.
This year saw unprecedented participation of Muslims in the processions as due to the COVID-19 pandemic Hundreds of thousands of Pakistani pilgrims could not visit Iran and Iraq on the eve of Arbaeen.
Arbaeen marks the culmination of a 40-day mourning period after the 10th of Muharram, the martyrdom date of Hazrat Imam Hussein (AS), and his 72 faithful companions on 680 A.D.
The battle was fought on the plains outside Karbala, a city in modern Iraq that’s home to the Imam’s shrine which is a sacred sanctuary for Shia Muslims.
Imam Hussein’s (AS) uprising in Karbala is regarded as the symbol of resistance against oppressors by Muslims, as the grandson of Islam’s Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) with a small troop and his relatives stood up against injustice.
Special arrangements have been made in the city regarding civic facilities and security by law enforcement and local administration.
Meanwhile, mobile services remained suspended in Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, and Quetta among other cities, during the course of the processions.
The religious scholars in their speeches on the occasion highlighted the teachings of Hazrat Imam Hussein (AS) and various aspects of the Karbala tragedy.
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They said Karbala is a lesson-teaching incident of human history, which gave the message of upholding righteousness and truth to mankind for their eternal success besides failing the nefarious designs of devilish forces.
Thousands of people distributed ‘niaz’ (food, milk, soft drinks and water) to participants of the mourning processions.
Every year, Muslim pilgrims from across the world flock to Iraq in the weeks leading to Arbaeen and walk toward Karbala on foot.
