Daily Times

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court was informed that Manghopir shrine which was shut in the wake of deadly terrorist attack on Dargah Sehwan Shrif has been opened for visitors after making proper security arrangements.

A division bench headed by Justice Nadeem Akhtar was hearing the petition filed by Syed Shah Ghulam Mohiuddin Sharafi Firdausi, the caretaker and chairman of R.A Committee Manghopir Shrine, seeking its directives for the law enforcement agencies to open the shrine and provide adequate security.

The Manghopri shrine is famous for the sulphur springs and pond next to the tomb of the saint which houses endangered and protected species of crocodiles. The Mangopir police station’s head informed the court that following the blast at the Sehwan shrine, Mangopir shrine was closed because there were no proper security arrangements.

He said that the height of the shrine’s boundary wall was raised whereas more police personnel were deployed at the shrine. A separate searching room for women has been built while female security personnel were been deployed. Only two main gates of the shrine are open for entry of visitors.

Taking the report on record, the bench observed that the petition had served its purpose and therefore, disposed of the petition. The petitioner, represented by Advocate Ghulam Hiader Shaikh, submitted that after the inhuman attack on the shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar, the Manghopir shrine was locked. More than 300 crocodiles inside the pond are starving for last two weeks as the shrine had been closed to the devotees who feed them, he added. He told the judges that he had written to the authorities to open the shrine but all to no avail. The petitioner informed that back in 2010 when the shrine of Abdullah Shah Ghazi come under attack all other shrines throughout the province were locked and subsequently, the authorities decided to erect boundary walls around the shrines. However, no boundary wall was erected around Manghopir shrine on the pretext of non-availability of funds. When approached, the authorities refused to open the shrine and provide security, he added while submitting that it was after the directives of the high court that the security agencies opened the shrine and security was provided.

The petitioner’s counsel stated that despite court orders and the assurances given by the Auqaf department in the court, the shrine was not being properly maintained.

The department’s lack of interest can be gauged from the fact that K-Electric had disconnected power supply to the shrine over non-payment of dues but the authorities did not take steps to restore it.

Shaikh said that there was still a serious threat from land grabbers, and miscreants who were eying the land of the shrine which comprises the tomb of the saint, adjoining mosque, crocodile pond and graveyard. A large piece of the shrine’s land has already been encroached upon by the residents of the neighborhood who have built their houses on it.

He told the judges that every month the charity boxes fixed on the premises of the shrine are opened and a large amount is collected by the authorities. There was no accountability or any proper oversight over how funds are being utilized and the shrine was left with the financial support from devotees.

“Despite regular collection of money, hardly any amount is spent on the maintenance of shrine. Instead of maintaining it, the authorities closed the shrine and adjoining mosque and maderssah declaring it unsafe for visit. However, a charity organization has been maintaining the shrine and other adjoining properties on its own.” The petitioner had pleaded to the court to direct the authorities to open the shrine and provide adequate security.