Karbala governor vows crackdown on liquor shops, brothels

KARBALA / IraqiNews.com: Karbala’s newly-elected local government will take strong measures against liquor shops and brothels, which violate the sanctity of the city, Karbala’s governor said on Tuesday. “There are brothels and liquor shops, as well as corrupt personnel in state institutions in Karbala, which all violate the sanctity of the city,” Amal al-Din al-Hir said in a joint press conference with the chairman of Karbala’s provincial council, Mohammed al-Mousawi. When asked whether these measures will violate the constitution and curtail personal freedoms, the governor said: “There will be no contradiction. The law allows local authorities to make their own laws. We will not violate the constitution and will not clamp down on personal freedoms. We will fight collective practices that affect society.” Karbala, with an estimated population of 572,300 people in 2003, is the capital of the province and is considered to be one of Shiite Muslims’ holiest cities. The city, 110 km south of Baghdad, is one of Iraq’s wealthiest, profiting both from religious visitors and agricultural produce, especially dates. It is made up of two districts, “Old Karbala,” the religious centre, and “New Karbala,” the residential district containing Islamic schools and government buildings. At the centre of the old city is Masjid al-Hussein, the tomb of Hussein Ibn Ali, grandson of the Prophet Muhammad by his daughter Fatima al-Zahraa and Ali Ibn Abi Taleb. Imam Hussien’s tomb is a place of pilgrimage for many Shiite Muslims, especially on the anniversary of the battle, the Day of Ashuraa. Many elderly pilgrims travel there to await death, as they believe the tomb to be one of the gates to paradise. On April 14, 2007, a car bomb exploded about 600 ft (200 m) from the shrine, killing 47 and wounding over 150. SS (S) 1