Khadim Rizvi’s Urs begins amid prayers, slogans

LAHORE: The first 3-day Urs celebrations of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) founder Ameer Allama Khadim Hussain Rizvi began Friday at his shrine inside the compound of Masjid Rehmatul Lil Alameen, the TLP headquarters, on Multan Road. He died last year after returning from Namoos-e-Risalat sit-in at Murree Road Rawalpindi.

Celebrations were formally inaugurated by TLP Ameer Hafiz Saad Hussain Rizvi and members of Majlis-e-Shoora by laying floral wreaths at the shrine after Friday prayers amidst loud sloganeering of the charged crowd of thousands of enthusiastic workers and volunteers.

He was flanked by noted TLP leaders including Allama Shafiq Ameeni, Pir Zaheerul Hasan Shah, Qazi Mehmood Awan, Allama Ghulam Abbas Faizi, Maulana Farooq Al-Hassan Qadri, Allama Ghulam Ghous Baghdadi, Pir Syed Inayat-ul-Haq Shah and others.

TLP Patron-in-Chief Allama Qazi Mehmood Awan led the prayers, fervently praying Allah Almighty to grant success to the lovers of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) in the mission of protecting His noble honour and countering the conspiracies of enemies of Islam.

Earlier, Hafiz Saad Rizvi led the Friday prayers and upon his ascent to the podium, he was greeted by workers with loud slogans and showering flower petals on him. Delivering a sermon he expressed deep gratitude and salutations to the valiant struggle and unmatched sacrifices of TLP workers who, he said, endured tough oppression by the state agencies but kept the struggle for honour of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) alive during his captivity.

He lamented that TLP workers were fired upon, tear-gassed and heavily baton-charged besides undergoing detentions. “I salute those who stood for the flag while receiving bullets and shells. I saw the martyred and the injured. Some lost eyes, some lost limbs. Few had bullet holes on faces, on the neck, but the workers were ready for sacrificing everything for the honour of the Prophet (SAW),” he said.

He reminded the workers that they had a long road ahead and a lot more sacrifices. “Our destination is not this. This is just the beginning. If these bullets, grenades and shells could not stop us from the path, what will stop us from reaching the destination,” he said. He praised the participation of workers from all over the country in Urs, saying it was proof of their immense love for Baba Ji (Allama Khadim Rizvi). Other leaders also addressed the occasion and congratulated the workers for achieving success against the opponents of Islam.