Engineer Rohan Chaudhary
The two-day annual Urs of the great spiritual leader of the subcontinent, Hazrat Baba Pira Shah Ghazi, popularly known as Damri Wali Sarkar, was celebrated with immense religious devotion.
The Urs ceremonies commenced with the ritual washing of the saint’s shrine. The Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir, Chaudhry Anwar-ul-Haq, along with government ministers, senior officials from the Auqaf Department, and a large number of devotees, participated in the ceremony. The concluding prayer session was graced by the Minister for Auqaf and Religious Affairs of Azad Kashmir, Muhammad Ahmed Raza Qadri, as the chief guest.
Millions of devotees from Pakistan, Azad Kashmir, and abroad attended the Urs. Pilgrims arrived in groups carrying traditional offerings. However, due to restrictions imposed by Deputy Commissioner Yasir Riaz, drummers accompanying these processions were stopped outside the shrine.
Special parking arrangements were made for visitors’ vehicles, and security was tightened with police checkpoints on various roads. Extensive security measures ensured a peaceful event. Several community kitchens (langars) were set up by devotees, while the Auqaf Department also made large-scale arrangements for free meals for the visitors.
Officials and staff from multiple departments, including the district administration, police, health services, Rescue 1122, civil defense, traffic police, fire brigade, municipal corporation, and district council, were actively on duty to ensure smooth arrangements throughout the Urs celebrations.
