First phase of the Raiwind congregation, which sources claimed was attended by over one million people from across the country and the world, came to a peaceful end on Sunday morning.
Religious scholar Maulana Zubairul Hassan led the final prayers and hundreds of emotional scenes were witnessed on this occasion. The event was largely attended and even though the congregation was planned in two phases to avoid rush, the number of people was the same as every year, if not more.
Special arrangements were made for the final dua that has always been the main feature of the congregation and is attended by the maximum number of people. The dua continued for about an hour in which people sought stability and supremacy of Allah’s law in the country.
Soon after the dua, mass exoduses choked the city and inter-district roads as people started leaving for their hometowns. The rush of the thousands of busses that left the venue became a difficult task for the city administration.
However, traffic wardens and officers from other law enforcing agencies managed to control the traffic after six hours as majority of the transporters were asked to used Multan Road or Motorway instead of entering the Lahore city.
Special security arrangements were also made to ensure law and order on the final day. No one was allowed to enter in the pandal (place where the dua was offered) without search.
Besides metal detectors and physical body search, walk-through gates were also installed at the main points and the security was tightened after the arrival of senior government officials including ministers, secretaries and other noted personalities.
Raiwind congregation ends peacefully
