The 983rd annual Urs of renowned Sufi saint Hazrat Syed Ali bin Usman Al-Hajveri (Data Ganj Bakhsh) began on Sunday, drawing thousands of devotees to the shrine under tight security arrangements.
The three-day celebrations commenced with the traditional chadar-poshi ceremony, during which Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar laid a ceremonial chadar at the shrine and offered prayers for Pakistan’s peace, stability and prosperity.
Among those attending the opening ceremony were Provincial Ministers Bilal Yasin, Mian Marghoob Ahmad and Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman, Special Assistant to the Punjab Chief Minister Ali Dar, Secretary Auqaf Ahsan Bhatta, and other officials.
Religious gatherings, prayers and spiritual sessions will continue throughout the Urs, with devotees from across the country expected to participate.
Authorities have deployed more than 5,000 police and law enforcement personnel to provide security during the event, which is expected to attract hundreds of thousands of pilgrims.
The administration has also made extensive arrangements for traffic management, medical services, sanitation, and the free distribution of food and milk to visitors during the three-day celebrations.