Security tightened in Sehwan this year

Security personnel at shrine to be doubled at Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar's urs, officials creating contingency plans

HYDERABAD: Rattled by the February 16 terrorist attack on the shrine of Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar in Sehwan that killed 90 people, the government has decided to optimise security arrangements for the upcoming urs of the 13^th century saint.

The district administration of Jamshoro, which hosts the annual three-day urs, announced after a meeting on Wednesday that the deployment of security personnel will be doubled at the event, which is scheduled to be held in May with the installation of 200 closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras. Although the figures of deployment have not been issued, some 3,500 policemen and a few hundred personnel of the Rangers performed security duty in 2016.

CCTV cameras and walkthrough gates will be installed inside and outside the shrine as well as on the roads leading to the place. "In view of the prevailing situation we have to put in place impeccable security," said Deputy Commissioner Munawar Ali Mahesar, who chaired the meeting.



Ambulances from five districts will be stationed in Sehwan. Hundreds of thousands of people, mainly from Punjab and Sindh, flock to the small town of Sehwan located around 145 kilometres away from Hyderabad on the foothills of Kirthar Mountains.

The deputy commissioner gave a week to the police and revenue, health, local government, culture, irrigation, highways, Auqaf and other departments concerned to submit their contingency plans. The 765^th urs celebrations, featuring cultural, musical, agrarian, trade and academic activities, will start in May.

The meeting requested the National Highway Authority to regulate traffic on the Indus Highway's 136km stretch between Jamshoro and Sehwan where accidents frequently occur due to the curved single road. The meeting expressed dismay over a lack of participation by officials of Hyderabad Electric Supply Company.