Daily Times

A large number of people visited the Data Ganj Bakhsh (RA) shrine on Sunday, the second day of his annual urs celebrations.

On the second day of Hazrat Ali Hajaveri’s Urs, pilgrims from other cities of the country, including Lahore, continued to recite Fatiha and place wreaths at the shrine. On the Urs, traditional processions come from every region of the province. With religious slogans and recitation of Naat, devotees offer chadars at the shrine on the beat of drums.

A large langar has also been arranged for the pilgrims and are also being treated with milk, nan-halim, meat and rice. Strict security arrangements have also been made and the participants are being checked at various places while the traffic has been diverted to alternative routes.

OThe Punjab government has declared a public holiday on Monday, August 26. According to the notification, district administration offices, courts and educational institutions will remain closed tomorrow. The Auqaf Department has allocated Rs 13.5 million for ‘langar’ and other events. The Auqaf secretary briefed the media regarding the arrangements here. The secretary said special security arrangements included installation of 144 security and closed-circuit cameras, establishment of a separate control room, 18 LCDs have been installed by the police department for the protection of pilgrims. Also, 4,000 police personnel, including three SPs, 7 DSPs, 216 policemen are deployed in two shifts of day and night for walk-through gates, metal detectors and special cleaning measures at the entrances of the tomb. Extensive parking arrangements have been made at Central Model High School-II, Rattigan Road, and Muslim School No. II and Data Darbar Hospital Lahore. Bomb disposal squad is also present. In addition, Rescue 1122 staff along with ambulances and motorcycle rescues are also present to provide immediate medical aid in case of an emergency.