Urs of Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif to begin on January 19: foolproof security plan prepared 267th

The massive deployment of security forces with the support of latest detective equipments was decided to avoid any untoward incident during the 267th annual urs celebrations of great saint poet of Sindh Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai (RA) to commence from January 19 or 20, 2011 depends on sighting of moon of Saffar.
This decision was taken in the meeting of mella organising committee held under the Chairmanship of Provincial Secretary Culture, Ellumuddin Bullo at Bhitshah Rest House today. The Consultant Culture Department Shams Jafrani, DG Culture, Sikandar Panhwar, DCO Matiari, Saqib Soomro, DPO Matiari, Abdul Qayoom Pitafi, Colonel Rangers Imran, Director Culture Sindh Mohammad Ali Manjhi, Pir Mazhar Shah alias Nazan Sain and other officers from HESCO, PTCL, Agriculture, Livestock, Education, Revenue departments and TMA attended the meeting and took part in threadbare discussion for the arrangements to celebrate the 267th annual urs celebrations of Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai (RA) in befitting and peaceful atmosphere.
Addressing the meeting, the Provincial Secretary Culture Ellumuddin Bullo said that keeping in view the terrorist incidents at Data Darbar at Lahore and Hazrat Abdullah Shah Ghazi (RA) at Karachi, the security measures at the annual urs celebrations would be tightened enough to avoid any untoward incident at the milla.
He said that as compared to 600 police personnel deployed during last exercise, 1800 to 2400 massive deployment with the support of latest detective equipments such as walk through gets, close circuit cameras, metal and explosive detectors would be deployed at important venues during the proceedings of the mella at Bhitshah.
The DPO, Abdul Qayoom Pitafi informed the meeting that a foolproof contingency security plan to cover all proceedings of mella has been prepared. He said that whole area of mella has been divided into 6 to 8 security zones and each would be attended by competent officer and police personnel.
He said that in addition to that intelligence network would be activated and all precautionary measures to meet the bomb threat challenges have already been included in the security plan. He said that separate plot for bus stand would be developed for the parking of private vehicles and an affective traffic plan has also been evolved to ensure uninterrupted traffic follow during the 3-day congregation.
The Provincial Secretary Ellumuddin Bullo said that the main objectives of the mella organising committee was to facilitate the devotees of Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai (RA) at each event. He said that the annual urs of Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai (RA) comes among the few big congregations of the country and second largest in the Sindh. He said that the participating devotees keep good expectations from the main stakeholder organisations such as Culture, Auqaf, Revenue departments, Police and TMA concerned for providing them security and other basic facilities.
He said that the Provincial Governor would be requested to inaugurate the three days annual urs celeberations of Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai while Chief Minister Sindh would be invited to attend the concluding ceremony of annual urs celebrations on the last day of the annual urs, where he would give away the Latif Awards to different personalities on account of best performances in their concerned fields.
The DG Culture Sikandar Panhwar while elaborating the main events of the mella, informed that Culture department has designed to establish culture village, organise National Adabi Conference, Sugharan-ge-katchery, musical concert, arrange book shop and reception camp for the devotees while Provincial Sports department in collaboration with Culture department to organise 3-day Malakhra at Malakhra ground. He said that Provincial Agriculture department would organise Agro-Exhibition, while Livestock department would arrange cattle show with the different species of the animals.
He said that TMA concerned would be responsible for maintaining cleanliness, supply of drinking water, sewerage system, streetlight, signboard, 30 water sabeels and provision of fire brigades. He said that Provincial Auqaf department would be responsible for the repair, renovation and illumination at Dargah of Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai (RA).
Similarly Provincial Irrigation department was directed for filling the Karar Lake before commencing the annual urs celebrations and it was also decided that no obstacle in the view of Karar Lake would be allowed. Besides, EDO CDD Matiari has been assigned to establish handicraft stall to depict the art of Sindhi artisans.
The Provincial Secretary Culture Ellumiddin Bullo and DCO Matiari Saqib Soomro directed the management of HESCO to exempt the Bhitshah from its load-shedding programme during the annual urs celebrations and also to keep standby generator in ready position to ensure the power supply in case of any technical fault.
The management of Health department was directed for declaring emergency at the hospitals at Bhitshah and other neighbouring towns with the provision of life saving drugs, doctors and para-medics. They were also directed for keeping ambulances in sufficient number at the mella site.
The Chairman of the mella organising committee Bullo directed to all departments participating in the mella of Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai (RA) to send the names of their focal persons along with contact numbers by January 10, 2011 and also to submit their plan three days before commencing the mella so that necessary support could be extended to them during the time.