Three-day Urs of Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar begins

SEHWAN: Sindh Governor Muhammad Zubair inaugurated the three-day celebrations of 765th Urs of Sufi saint Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar in Sehwan amid stringent security arrangements on Monday, ARY News reported.

Governor Sindh flanked by provincial minister Nisar Khuhro laid a traditional sheet on the grave of Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar to open the three-day celebrations of the Urs in the shrine city of Sehwan in Sindh’s district of Jamshoro.

Around three months ago, on February 16 this year, a bomb blast ripped through the revered shrine of Qalandar causing loss of of around 90 people, besides injuring several others.

Sindh Police chief A.D. Khawaja had ordered tightened security on the Urs, where thousands of devotees throng from all parts of Pakistan.

Jamshoro Deputy Commissioner Munawar Ali Mahesar said that unprecedented security measures have been introduced with 4,500 policemen and 500 personnel of the special branch in addition to the Rangers and the Bomb Disposal Squad performing the security duty.

Police authorities have directed for body searching of the devotees at the internal route of the shrine with the help of the volunteers and women police officials.