Three-day Data Sahib urs starts today

1,827 policemen, 19 SHOs, seven DSPs, three SPs to perform security duties.

LAHORE: The three-day celebrations of the 971st urs of Hazrat Ali bin Usman Al Hajveri, popularly known as Data Ganj Bakhsh, will start on Thursday (today).

“The chief minister is expected to open the celebrations,” the Auqaf and Religious Affairs secretary Muhammad Hassan Rizvi said on Wednesday.

“The distinguished guest will inaugurate the urs at 11.30am by opening a milk sabeel for visitors and devotees. The government has made strict security arrangements,” Rizvi said.

“As many as 1,827 policemen led by 19 SHOs, seven DSPs and three SPs will help the Data Darbar administration for providing foolproof security,” he said.

He said that the department had established a control room with six LCDs to monitor the activities using 115 CCTV cameras. “Beds have been reserved at Mayo Hospital and Data Darbar Hospital to meet any emergency.

The department is spending Rs8 million on the security arrangements during the urs. The devotees will have to walk through metal-detector gates placed at the entrances,” he said.

The shrine management has arranged for two generators to supply uninterrupted electricity during the urs. Four vehicles of Elite Force will patrol the area. Women constables will also be deployed at the shrine.

The bomb disposal squad will remain alert.

As many as 175 security guards of the Auqaf Department will also be deployed. Special attention will be paid to ensuring cleanliness and facilitating the visitors. Competitions of naat, recitation of the Holy Quran, qawali and manqabat will also be held.

The Auqaf Department has invited several scholars and naat khawans for the events. Renowned qawwals will also perform.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 11^th, 2014.