The Pakistan government Wednesday barred all cell phone signals across the country as part of a security arrangement for the Yaum-e-Ali procession.
The country was beefing up the security in fear of sectarian violence between Shias and Sunnis during the Yaum-e-Ali procession, according to local sources.
The government has instructed the mobile phone companies in the country to suspend their services in Karachi between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., Lahore 4:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., Rawalpindi 4:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. , Gujranwala 3:00 a.m. and 1:00 a.m. Thursday, Sargodha 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.
The move comes following the arrest of nine militants who were allegedly planning to attack a Yaum-e-Ali procession in Karachi.
Chairman of the All-Karachi Tajir Ittehad Atique Mir said that many markets in the Karachi city would also remain closed.
The government Tuesday elected a businessman, Mamnoon Hussain as its next president, to replace Asif Ali Zardari, whose presidential term expires this fall.
Mamnoon, who was nominated by the former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, won the country's presidential election with a big margin securing 432 votes against his rival's 77 and he will be sworn in as the 12th president of the country August 9, a day after the present president steps down.
