Lahore High Court here Thursday directed to keep the shrine of Bibi Pak Daman open throughout day and night on the occasion of Yaum-e-Ali to be observed on Rajab 13 and 14 (June 16 and 17). The court allowed the petition filed by one Syed Waqar Hussain Naqvi.
The petitioner, through his counsel, filed a civil miscellaneous application and sought an interim order that the gates of the shrine of Bibi Pak Daman be kept open on the occasion of birth anniversary of Hazrat Ali (R.A). A main petition of Naqvi against the early closure of the shrines in city is also pending adjudication before the court. The petitioner said that after the twin suicide attacks on shrine of Hazrat Data Gunj Bakhsh (R.A) last year, Auqaf authorities had ordered to close all shrines in city by 8pm.
This action, he added, was challenged before the high court and the court had set aside the same. The court had directed the authorities to ensure security of the shrines visitors instead of closing them. He said the authorities ignored court order and continued to close shrines by 8pm, and sought proceedings under contempt of court charges against the Auqaf authorities.