In memoriam: Arbaeen commemorations, Data Sahib’s urs conclude
7,000 policemen secure main Arbaeen procession, Data Darbar.
LAHORE:
The main Arbaeen procession was taken out from Haveli Alif Shah on Saturday after the conclusion of a majlis-i-aza.
Allama Dawood Jawad Mashadi addressed over 25,000 mourners at the majlis. He shed light on the sacrifices rendered for Islam by Imam Hussain (RA) and the Ahl-i-Bayt. Nearly 5,000 policemen had been deployed to secure the procession. Another 2,000 were tasked with securing the urs of Data Sahib. Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif directed Operations DIG Haider Ashraf and CCPO Amin Wains early on Saturday to ensure that a security plan formulated in this regard was strictly adhered to. Sharif directed them to remain vigilant to prevent any untoward incident.
DIG Ashraf, CCPO Wains and CTO Tayyab Hafeez Cheema inspected the route of the procession to review security arrangements and interacted with the organisers of the urs and the procession and interacted with policemen deployed there. DIG Ashraf urged mourners to cooperate with police to ensure foolproof security. Security SP Malik Liaqat told The Express Tribune that there was four-tier security to mitigate the chances of any untoward incident. He said 74 CCTV cameras had been installed at various points along the route of the procession to monitor the proceedings. Liaqat said a dedicated control room had been established at the DIG office to review the proceedings around-the-clock. He said 22 walkthrough gates, metal detectors, sniffer dogs and barbed wires would be used to secure the procession.
He said 13 walkthrough gates had been installed in the vicinity of the Data Darbar. Liaqat said devotees would be allowed to enter the shrine after being scoured four times. Nearly 100 snipers had been posted at rooftops in the shrine’s vicinity and along the route of the procession.
Mujahid Squad SP Zahid Nawaz Marwat told The Express Tribune said policemen from the squad had been continuously patrolling the route of the procession. Headquarters SP Umar Saeed and Civil Lines SP Imtiaz Sarwar were also present on the occasion. Another majlis was held at Chowk Nawab Sahib after the procession reached there at 3pm. Amina Abbas, a mourner, said Hazrat Zainab had played a pivotal role in exposing Yazid’s tyrannical nature. Syed Haider Kalim Gilani, another mourner, said the procession commemorated the trials and tribulations that Hazrat Zainab (RA) and Hazrat Sakina (RA) had to undergo.
City SP Sarfraz Khan said a search had been carried out along the route of the procession. Syed Mesum Tamar Bukhari, another mourner, said the ritual was as important as praying. He said it was a befitting tribute to the Ahl-i-Bayt. Headquarters SP Umar Saeed told The Express Tribune that Section 144 had been rigourously enforced.
Kalb-i-Hassan, another mourner, said the zarih carried in the procession had been made of silver 200 years ago. Sabeels of water, juice and milk had been set up for mourners along the route of the procession.
The Lower Mall remained closed for traffic on the occasion of Arbaeen and urs. Traffic SP Rana Shujat traffic proceeding towards the Data Darbar and Karbala Gamay Shah had been diverted to The Mall and Bund Road.
As many as 250 Rescue 1122 workers and several ambulances were deployed at various points along the main route of the procession and administered first aid to the mourners.
The procession will conclude at Karbala Gamay Shah at midnight.
Urs of Data Sahib:
The three-day urs of Data Sahib ended on Saturday.
Thousands of devotees from various parts of Pakistan thronged the shrine on the last day of the event. A mehfil-i-sama was also organised on the occasion. Scores of people were seen frequenting a sabeel of milk at the shrine. The urs concluded with prayers being led by Mufti Muhammad Ramazan Sialvi.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 14th, 2014.
The main Arbaeen procession was taken out from Haveli Alif Shah on Saturday after the conclusion of a majlis-i-aza.
Allama Dawood Jawad Mashadi addressed over 25,000 mourners at the majlis. He shed light on the sacrifices rendered for Islam by Imam Hussain (RA) and the Ahl-i-Bayt. Nearly 5,000 policemen had been deployed to secure the procession. Another 2,000 were tasked with securing the urs of Data Sahib. Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif directed Operations DIG Haider Ashraf and CCPO Amin Wains early on Saturday to ensure that a security plan formulated in this regard was strictly adhered to. Sharif directed them to remain vigilant to prevent any untoward incident.
DIG Ashraf, CCPO Wains and CTO Tayyab Hafeez Cheema inspected the route of the procession to review security arrangements and interacted with the organisers of the urs and the procession and interacted with policemen deployed there. DIG Ashraf urged mourners to cooperate with police to ensure foolproof security. Security SP Malik Liaqat told The Express Tribune that there was four-tier security to mitigate the chances of any untoward incident. He said 74 CCTV cameras had been installed at various points along the route of the procession to monitor the proceedings. Liaqat said a dedicated control room had been established at the DIG office to review the proceedings around-the-clock. He said 22 walkthrough gates, metal detectors, sniffer dogs and barbed wires would be used to secure the procession.
He said 13 walkthrough gates had been installed in the vicinity of the Data Darbar. Liaqat said devotees would be allowed to enter the shrine after being scoured four times. Nearly 100 snipers had been posted at rooftops in the shrine’s vicinity and along the route of the procession.
Mujahid Squad SP Zahid Nawaz Marwat told The Express Tribune said policemen from the squad had been continuously patrolling the route of the procession. Headquarters SP Umar Saeed and Civil Lines SP Imtiaz Sarwar were also present on the occasion. Another majlis was held at Chowk Nawab Sahib after the procession reached there at 3pm. Amina Abbas, a mourner, said Hazrat Zainab had played a pivotal role in exposing Yazid’s tyrannical nature. Syed Haider Kalim Gilani, another mourner, said the procession commemorated the trials and tribulations that Hazrat Zainab (RA) and Hazrat Sakina (RA) had to undergo.
City SP Sarfraz Khan said a search had been carried out along the route of the procession. Syed Mesum Tamar Bukhari, another mourner, said the ritual was as important as praying. He said it was a befitting tribute to the Ahl-i-Bayt. Headquarters SP Umar Saeed told The Express Tribune that Section 144 had been rigourously enforced.
Kalb-i-Hassan, another mourner, said the zarih carried in the procession had been made of silver 200 years ago. Sabeels of water, juice and milk had been set up for mourners along the route of the procession.
The Lower Mall remained closed for traffic on the occasion of Arbaeen and urs. Traffic SP Rana Shujat traffic proceeding towards the Data Darbar and Karbala Gamay Shah had been diverted to The Mall and Bund Road.
As many as 250 Rescue 1122 workers and several ambulances were deployed at various points along the main route of the procession and administered first aid to the mourners.
The procession will conclude at Karbala Gamay Shah at midnight.
Urs of Data Sahib:
The three-day urs of Data Sahib ended on Saturday.
Thousands of devotees from various parts of Pakistan thronged the shrine on the last day of the event. A mehfil-i-sama was also organised on the occasion. Scores of people were seen frequenting a sabeel of milk at the shrine. The urs concluded with prayers being led by Mufti Muhammad Ramazan Sialvi.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 14th, 2014.