Summary Hundreds of thousands of devotees have arrived in Sehwan to participate in the Urs.
Web desk – Sehwan is witnessing the steely resolve of devotees who have descended upon Lal Shahbaz Qalandar’s shrine for his 765th Urs. Today marks the second day of the celebrations to mark the death anniversary of the revered Sufi saint.
Sehwan had suffered a devastating tragedy in February 2016, when a suicide bomber struck devotees inside the shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar. At least 90 people were killed while around 300 were injured.
However, the bombing failed to deter the Sufi saint’s followers from attending his Urs. Their devotion can be gauged from the fact that hundreds of thousands of devotees have arrived in Sehwan to participate in the Urs. Many arrived days before the start of the Urs.
Today marks the second day of the saint’s Urs. Thousands of devotees have placed chadar on the shrine. The day started with the swirling and ecstatic dance of the devotees, known as dhamaal. Men and women, young and old, perform dhamaal together, a scene that would be frowned upon even in major cities of Pakistan.
Although the bombing failed to diminish the determination of the devotees, strict and stringent security measures have still been undertaken to prevent any untoward incident. SSP Jamshoro Tanveer Alam Odho informed Dunya News that 4500 police and 200 Rangers personnel are present for the security of the shrine. Moreover, from the entry point of the city to the shrine, seven checkpoints are present on every route. The police has also installed 20 walkthrough gates across Sehwan. The SSP also said that 275 cameras have been installed for security around the city.
Furthermore, considering the prevailing high temperatures in Sindh, mobile medical camps with special arrangements for heat stroke victims have been arranged by the administration.
