Daily Times

LAHORE: The three-day 973rd Urs celebrations of Hazrat Ali Hajveri (RA), also known Data Ganj Bakhsh, kicked off on Saturday with religious zeal and reverence.

Finance Minister and Data Darbar Religious Affairs Committee Chairman Ishaq Dar, Punjab Food Minister Bilal Yasin, MNA Pervaiz Malik, Auqaf Secretary Nawazish Ali, Data Darbar Administrator Noor Muhammad Awan, along with religious scholars and government officials attended the commencement ceremony. The annual ritual was also attended by thousand of devotees and worshipers, who came in the form of groups and families to pay homage to the selfless mission of the great saint. A large number of his admirers from other countries, especially India, also came to attend the celebrations.

Besides laying floral wreath on the grave, devotees on the occasion also offered special prayers for the prosperity, progress, forgiveness, religious harmony, peace and solidarity of the nation. Earthen lamps, aroma sticks and candles were also lit to signify the importance of the event. A number of ardent followers (malangs) presented dhamal on the eve of the much-awaited Urs.

The Darbar Administration, City District Government Lahore and Police Department made special security arrangements in the wake of recent suicide blast at Shah Noorani’s shrine in Hub, Balochistan.

As many as 1,500 police officials along with three SPs and seven DSPs are deputed to protect the visitors and to face any untoward incident. Two Elite Force vehicles and 45 security guards of Auqaf are performing their security duties with assistance from a private security company. Further, 155 close circuit cameras, 18 LCDs and 11 walkthrough gates were also installed to monitor any suspicious activity.

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar expressed satisfaction over the foolproof security arrangements for the Urs and lauded the efforts of the departments concerned. Lahore Parking Company is also offering free parking to facilitate the visitors at Central Model High School II, Muslim School II, Islamia College Civil Line, Data Darbar Hospital, Model High School, Sheesh Mahal Road, and open plot in front of TB Hospital.

Data Darbar Administrator Noor Muhammad Awan, talking exclusively with Daily Times, said that the Auqaf Department has taken special measures to offer meals to the faithful. He said that special milk stalls have also been set up and 100,000 litres milk would be distributed among people on daily basis. He said that 238 workers along with 10 supervisors have been deputed in three shifts to maintain the cleanliness of the shrine. On a query, he said that Rs 9 million have been allocated from Auqaf and Religious Affairs Department to facilitate the visitors on the occasion.