Three-day Urs of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar from 23

SUKKUR: After a period of two years, the 770th Urs celebrations of Sufi Saint Lal Shahbaz Qalandar will be held from March 22 to 24 in Sehwan.

Divisional Commissioner Hyderabad Nadeem-ur-Rehman Memon presided over a meeting on Tuesday at Abdullah Shah Medical Institute's hall to review the arrangements for the event. He directed the officers to ensure provision of all possible basic facilities to the devotees. He said hundreds of thousands of devotees across the country are expected to come to Sehwan and instructed the concerned officers to remove temporary encroachments around the shrine.

He also told the officers of law enforcement agencies to ensure foolproof security arrangements and also directed the HESCO officials to avoid unannounced load shedding during the Urs celebrations. Memon also directed the officers of all relevant departments to submit their contingency plans to the district administration and directed those at district Jamshoro to set up their camp office at Sehwan during the event. In addition, he instructed the officers of Health Department to ensure availability of medicines and ambulances to meet any eventuality.

"As many as 4,500 police personnel, Rangers personnel will also perform their duties during the event while more than 180 CCTV cameras have been installed at the shrine,” said the DC Jamshoro, adding that a mobile control room had also been set up. He also said that a public holiday in the district Jamshoro had been announced on the first day of Urs.