Provincial Secretary Culture, Abdul Aziz Uqaily has said that his department has planned to hold international literature (Adabi) Conference on the poetry of Great Saint Poet of Sindh Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai (RA) on the eve of his 268th annual urs celebrations to be commenced in the month of January 2011 at Bhitshah to promote his message for peace, love and affection.
Presiding over a meeting of Mela Organising Committee which was convened to discuss and decide about the modalities to celebrate the annual urs in befitting manner at Bhitshah Rest House Monday, the Provincial Secretary informed that in addition to the writers from all provinces of Pakistan, renowned writers including Dr Moti Parkash, Herro Thakur, and Vimi-Sadarangani from India, Mohammad Mithal Vakari from America and others have been invited from abroad to attend the Adabi Conference on the eve of annual urs celebrations of Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai (RA).
He said that the Culture Department has planned to depict, spread and promote the message of Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai (RA) through different ways & means, as such 5 different books on the poetry of Shah Sahib would also be launched during the Adabi Conference. He said that this is first time that present government is promoting the suffism which according to him was the need of hour to bring out different communities from the hate & confrontation and promote peace, love and affection among them.
He said that at present there are seven statues on the central ideas (Surs) of poetry of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai (RA), but his department has planned to prepare and erect six other thematic statues in the museum at Bhitshah to depict central idea of other Surs of Shah Sahib's poetry as well. He said that out of these, two statues would be made available before the urs celebrations while remaining to be prepared later on. Besides, arrangements to conduct Sughar Conference, Cattle Show on the first day, Malakhra (folk wrestling), Agro Industrial Exhibition on all three days have been made with required facilities.
Uqaily informed the meeting that likewise last year, Village Culture would also be depict by establishing Model Village in the Shah-Jo-Bagh where a new event of Much Katchery (dialogue by sitting around the wooden fire) would be included. Secretary to Culture Department informed the meeting that all the buildings of his department at Bhitshah including Excellency Hall, Artist Hostel, Bhitshah Rest House were being repaired and renovated and directed the officers from Auqaf Department to arrange an impressive illumination at the dargah of Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai (RA). Abdul Aziz Uqaily directed the officers concerned to prepare guide map and to affix it at main spots of Bhitshah to indicate the public facilities and emergency services to the common man.
Secretary Culture directed the officers of District Administration and District Police Matiari to prepare foolproof security plan. He also directed the officers of Health Department to ensure health facilities to the devotees and arrange such facilities at all hospitals around the Bhitshah and mobile medical units to meet any eventuality. Officers from HESCO were directed to supply the uninterrupted power supply in addition to having provision of standby generators so that in case of any technical fault, power could be supplied.