Abdullah Shah Ghazi’s Urs: Despite earlier bomb blast nearby, saint still attracts crowds

Annual festivities cut short, women frisked as police tighten security.

KARACHI: Undeterred by the bomb blast at Seaview on Wednesday night, a large number of devotees gathered at the Abdullah Shah Ghazi shrine on Thursday to celebrate his 1281st urs.

Despite dread lingering in the air, people made their way to the hilly mazaar to pay tribute to the saint while policemen flanked the entrances and street corners. They were, however, fewer people present than the occasion usually attracts.

Their fears were not ill-founded considering that eight people were killed and over 60 injured in an attack on the shrine during a crowded night in October last year.

One of the women at the shrine, Sadaf, felt that with so much security, they had nothing to be worried about. “I have heard that a blast can take place, but Baba is here to protect us,” she said, clutching her newborn. “Nothing will happen.”

A burqa-clad woman, who had travelled all the way from North Nazimabad, was engrossed in reciting the holy verses. She claimed that terrorists would not stop them from performing their religious duties.

“This time, it seems that the number of devotees has dropped,” said the mazaar’s caretaker, Nadeem Ahmed, as he ushered in the people arriving for ziarat. “But bombs will not stop the faithful.”

He estimated that about 150,000 people attended the festivities during last year’s three-day urs.

Security measures this time around were stringent. About 35 city wardens and army-trained scouts accompanied the police while ambulances and fire engines stood on standby.

A rumour that there was a female bomber, or a man disguised as a woman, involved in Wednesday’s blast has sparked fear, explained female police constable, Amber Rana. Hence, women were also being searched and a separate body-search compartment was set up for them.

Boat Basin SHO Naseer Tanoli was at the shrine as well. He said that 200 men in police uniform, 20 mobiles, and 30 men in plain clothes have been deployed along with Rangers.

“We have taken measures thinking that Wednesday’s bombers (meant to) attack the shrine,” explained the SHO. Despite the risk, however, Tanoli said that there was no talk of closing down the mazaar. Instead, they are focusing on making sure that people do not spend too much time there. For example, the annual qawali programme which is every organised every year and carries on through the night, will only last two hours.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 18^th,  2011.