KARACHI: After 21 years, Bohra community hosted around 40,000 fellow members of the community visiting from around 30 countries to attend the spiritual congregation of Ashura. The most visitors have come from India with to observe Muharram in Karachi. Dr Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin, the head of the Dawoodi Bohra community, has travelled from India to observe Ashura with his followers in Karachi. His presence in the city has not only excited the community members but also influenced the business life of the metropolis. The hotels all over the city are running at full occupancy. The community has also arranged number of guest houses and hostels for the accommodation of visiting guests. “They have booked the hotel completely till October 3 and other people coming here have been directed to other part of the city,” Noman Ahmed, front desk officer at Gulf Hotel in Saddar informed. Half of followers have come from India, many of them are visiting first time. When Daily Times asked about their experience being in Pakistan, they responded, “We feel like at home, Karachi is a loving and peaceful city.” Aijazuddin, a Mumbai resident, came with his eight family members, viewed, “It is our pleasure that we are here in this sacred congregation and we found Karachi very peaceful and secure.” Ali Asghar, interior designer from Indian Gujarat attending the congregation with other 15 fellows, expressed his satisfaction and said he was feeling like at home in Pakistan. “Thanks to Pakistan’s government for making such wonderful security arrangements for us. Everything is smooth and peaceful,” he observed. Presence of large number of foreign and local visitors has also boosted the business in the area. “The business has increased substantially in these days because of Bohra community’s programme,” a shopkeeper said. Murtaza Abdeali, spokesperson of Dawoodi Bohra community, said “as this is our annual religious congregation we have constituted specific teams to handle accommodation, transportation, food, seating arrangements and other facilities to ensure that the community members coming from all over the world are served comfortably”. He said that Burhani Guards can be seen guiding people and taking care of everything from security to cleanliness of the streets. “Every year Bohra community gather somewhere in the world to observe Muharram. The selection of the place is made by the spiritual leader and his close advisers,” he added Last year, this ceremony took place in Brunei and before that in Houston, USA. “Two decades earlier, Syedna’s father (Syedna Burhanuddin) came to the port city,” he recalled. Published in Daily Times, September 27th 2017.