Thanks to Almighty Allah, Youm-e-Ashur, (10th Muharram-ul-Haram) was commemorated peacefully in Karachi amid tight security as per tradition with the faithful recalling the supreme sacrifice of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) and his companions against the forces of tyranny and oppression.
The fear and apprehension that the Ashura procession and Muharram Majalis might be targetted by terrorists proved mere apprehensions. The fear and apprehensions had emerged from the recent string of suicide attacks and act of terrorism that had shaken the country.
Owing to extraordinary and heightened security measures, the central Ashura procession, related religious congregations and gatherings in various parts of the city passed off peacefully.
However, owing to security fears and concerns attendance in the Ashura processions and Muharram Majalis remained slightly thin.  
The central procession of Ashura was brought out from Nishtar Park after midday and after passing through its traditional points of Naumiash, M.A. Jinnah Road, Saddar, Empress Market, Tibet Centre, Jamia Cloth, Bolton Market, it culminated at Imambargah Hussainiyah Iranian Kharadar.
Religious leaders, Ulema of the Shia community, and senior officials of the government and local administration led the procession whose participants were guarded by a large number of law-enforcement personnel. Aerial surveillance of the procession was also constantly carried out.
Participants offered their Namaz-e-Zuhr near Tibet Centre on M.A. Jinnah Road led by Maulana Idrees-ul-Hasan.
Earlier, a central majlis of Ashura was held at Nishtar Park where the mourners were informed about the significance and sanctity of Imam Hussain's (RA) sacrifice while fighting against the tyrannical forces of Yazid.
Allama Dr Salman Turabi, while addressing the mourners at Nishtar Park, highlighted the need to observe intra-faith unity and solidarity among various sects and groups of Muslims to ward off the multifarious and heinous conspiracies against the Ummah.
He said that it was high time that the spirit of sacrifice and kindness exemplified by Hazrat Imam Hussain was reinvigorated among the members of the Ummah so that the hardships and exploitation faced by the Muslims in various parts of the world could be effectively mitigated.
He said that the global imperialist and exploitative forces led by the United States had always attempted to damage and weaken the unity and integrity of the Ummah and there was no other way out but to observe unity and cohesion.
Later, Majalis of Sham-e-Ghareeban were held in various Imambargahs and mosques of the city where religious leaders and Ulema spoke about the hardships, sufferings and supremacy of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) and his companions in their selfless fight against the forces of oppression.
On the peaceful observance of Ashura the provincial government and the authorities felt relieved. Sindh Chief Minister Justice (retired) Abdul Qadir Halepota said that he was relieved that Ashura had passed peacefully in the province. He thanked the people of Sindh, Ulema and the print and electronic media for their cooperation.
Halepota also congratulated security officials and personnel from the law-enforcement agencies for their vigilance in preventing acts of sabotage. He directed them to remain alert until all remaining Majalis concluded in the province.
Halepota expressed hope that the entire nation would continue to remain united, and said that "the day is not far when Pakistan will be completely rid of terrorists and people who want to divide the nation on sectarian, ethnic and linguistic grounds."
On 8th Muharram, Karachi Police arrested five suspected terrorists, who, police said, planned to mix cyanide with the water distributed at Sabeels (kiosks) during Ashura processions.
Sindh police chief Azhar Ali Farooqi, at press conference, said that the arrests, made from different parts of the city, had averted a big disaster.
Police also asserted that the suspects were also making plans to carry out suicide attacks on the processions.
The PPO said that three hand-grenades, six kilograms of explosives, six detonators, 500 grams of cyanide, a remote-control generator, a frequency generator, two kilograms of ball-bearings, one kilogram of nails and two TT pistols had been recovered from the suspects, one of whom was training to become a suicide bomber.
"They also planned to launch terrorist attacks on military installations in Karachi."
The suspects were identified as Syed Mohammed Waseem, alias Imran, of Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, Karachi; Mohammed Aijaz, alias Abdul Rehman, of Harkat-ul-Jihad Islami, Bhambar, Azad Kashmir; Jamil Ahmed, alias Wazir Akbar, of Harkat-ul-Jihad Islami, Multan; would-be suicide bomber Aziz Ahmed, alias Mohammed Khan, of Jaish-i-Mohammed, Lodhran; and Mohammed Hamid, alias Qasim, of Harkat-ul-Jihad Islami.
According to police Jamil had hired a house in North Karachi a few months ago. A few days before Eidul Azha he brought ammunition, explosives, hand-grenades and items used in explosive jacket from southern Punjab and stored them in the house.
Police said that the 'gang' leader Mohammed Aijaz reached Karachi on January 11 along with Mohammed Hamid and Aziz Ahmed.
Sindh PPO said the suspects had also planned to mix cyanide with the water distributed at kiosks during Ashura."They were arrested when they were leaving with the subversive material to carry out terrorist attacks," he added.
The IGP said the terrorists had planned to launch grenade and suicide attacks on processions. "The aim was to cause widespread human losses."
He said the arrest came on a tip-off from informants.
He said Aijaz, who had taken part in the Afghan jihad, was also an instructor at terrorist training camps in South Waziristan and other parts of the country. "He is an expert in making bombs and suicide jackets and is a close confidant of Afghan Taliban leader Maulvi Sardar Haqqani of Jalaluddin Haqqani Group," he said.
Although the Ashura was observed peacefully, political activities in the city have yet to resume despite being the election season.
After the assassination of PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto in Liaquat Bagh, Rawalpindi, like other parts of the country political activities and electioneering had come to a standstill in Karachi too.
Political parties in the city were planning to resume their electioneering after Ashura, but despite the passage of Ashura they are yet to resume their activities and campaign for the scheduled parliamentary elections.
The volatile security situation and flour crisis and shortage of other essential commodities have dampened electioneering, and the traditional zeal and fervour attached to the election campaign in Karachi is missing.
Another reason for missing of election-related festivities from the campaign is said to be the boycott of Jamaat-i-Islami (JI), which is a main contender of city politics.
The JI and MQM are two main political parties of the city, although there is also a following of PPP, but its is restricted to certain areas of the city. JI has the potential and organisational setup to challenge the MQM. As JI is no more in the upcoming electoral fray, the MQM is excepted easy sailing in Karachi in the coming elections.