Lahore district government announced a local holiday on November 21 on the eve of the annual Urs of IIazrat Data Ganj Baksh (RA).
According to the notification, all offices and educational institute of district level will remain closed. Local holiday will not be applicable on Civil Secretariat employees and its related staff. The celebrations of Data Ganj Bakhsh’s 973 Urs were started on Saturday (today).
A three-day the 973rd urs of Hazrat Ali bin Usman Al-Hajveri, popularly known as Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh, began on Saturday.
Federal Minister for Finance and Data Darbar Religious Affairs Committee Chairman Ishaq Dar inaugurated the Urs by laying chaddar’ at the shrine.
The Punjab government has made special security arrangements and security officials have been deputed on roof tops. Five-tier security measures have been taken and 1,000 surveillance cameras were installed to monitor the Urs celebrations.
Around 2,000 cops have been deployed at the Darbar while walk through gates has been placed at all entrances and security guards carrying metal detectors are frisking visitors.
The LESCO, WASA, Civil Defence Department,Rescue-1122 and the Health Department have set up camps to facilitate devotees.
Hundreds of Mashaikh, religious scholars and Naat khawans are participating in the urs. The distribution of ‘Sabeel’ started at 11:30am.