Devotees descend on Sehwan as Lal Shahbaz Qalandar’s Urs begins

HYDERABAD: The annual Urs of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar started amid tight security on Friday evening as thousands of devotees from all over the country arrived in the Sehwan town to join the three-day celebrations.

The district administration of Jamshoro has completed the arrangements for the 771st Urs of the great Sufi saint of the subcontinent Hazrat Syed Usman Marwandi, known as Lal Shahbaz Qalandar.

Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori will formally inaugurate the Urs ceremony today. The Urs celebrations, which started with the traditional Dhamal after the Asr prayer, will continue till March 13.

According to Chairman Shehbaz Mela Committee and Jamshoro Deputy Commissioner Captain retired Fariduddin Mustafa, more than 4,000 police, Rangers, intelligence personnel are on high alert on instructions from by the Hyderabad for the protection of devotees during the event.

According to the DC, cameras have been installed at various places for security. Walk-through gates have been installed at the dargah and other places of public gatherings, while policemen and policewomen will perform duties during the Urs.

According to the DC, a central CCTV control room has been set up near the dargah. Apart from this, the situation will be monitored by security personnel through drone cameras. On the occasion of the Urs, March 13, Monday, has been declared a public holiday in the Jamshoro district. A media cell has been set up in the Sehwan city.