Urs of Data Gunj Bukhsh begins today

The Urs of Hazrat Ali Hajveri, also known as Hazrat Data Gunj Bukhsh will start on Friday (today) with Chadar Poshi by Punjab Minister for Aquaf and Religious Affairs, Haji Ehsanuddin Qureshi. Secretary Auqaf Tariq Mehmood Pasha, Director General Auqaf Dr Tahir Raza Bukhariand and other officials will also attend the ceremony.
A large number of devotees from different parts of the country have reached the shrine of Data Sahib to join the Urs celebrations. Hundreds of sabeels (stalls of water and milk) have been set up by the business community and Langar (free meal) is being distributed as per the tradition among the devotees during the Urs, which will continue for three days.
Strict and extensive security measures hav ebeen taken by security agencies to avoid any untoward incident. However, the administration concerned could not control the traffic mess, which was quite frequent on the first day.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif has directed the administration to pay full attention to the security of Majalis and processions of Chelum of Imam Hussain (RA) and Urs of Hazrat Data Ganj Baksh. He said that all the resources should be utilised for this purpose.
A high level meeting chaired by CCPO Lahore Malik Ahmad Raza Tahair was held to review the security measures. He said that checking around the processions of Chelum should be made through sniffer dogs and the participants should only be allowed to enter the processions after checking through metal detectors and walk-through gates. He said that besides officials of law enforcement agencies, security personnel had also been deployed at the places of Majalis and on the routes of processions and surveillance was also being made through CCTV cameras.
Capital City Police Officer (CCPO), Ahmad Raza Tahir has said that all entry and exit points of the city would be covered and roof top deployment to be made on different routes on the occasion of Juma Ijtma, Chelum Hazrat Imam Hussain and Data Sahab Urs. He directed that parking should be made at a safe distance, preferably 200 meter, from venue of the processions Urs, whereas mobile squads, motor bikes and cars of Elite Force would also be deployed on these occasions.
The CCPO said that crises management centers have been established in the city, which would function round-the-clock. A special control room has also been set up in the office of the CCPO for co-ordination between various agencies. He informed that more than five thousand police officials would provide security on Jumat-ul-Mubarik, Chelum Hazrat Imam Hussain and Data Sahab Urs.
He informed that CCTV cameras would be installed at big markets and at important roads of Lahore to ensure law and order, whereas daily review of crime situation strategy has been evolved by Lahore Police so that effective steps could be taken to eradicate crime in the city. Ahmad Raza Tahir informed that in order to maintain peaceful atmosphere and harmony in the provincial metropolis during Chelum Hazrat Imam Hussain and Data Sahab Urs, a comprehensive security plan has been chalked out in consultation with leaders and notables of the city.
He directed the concerned divisional SPs to personally check the force deployment and patrolling of mobile squads in their respective areas. Tahir said he would himself make inspections in order to review the security arrangements. He said that close co-operation of citizens was highly essential to thwart the nefarious aims of anti-state elements. Tahir also appealed to the citizens to keep a watchful eye on its surroundings and in case they observe any suspicious activity please dial emergency number 15 immediately to inform.