As Pakistan goes through a religious and cultural season, a local holiday has been declared by Jamshoro district administration on Friday, February 7 on the occasion of the annual Urs of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar.
The Deputy Commissioner Gazanfar Ali Chaudhry issued an official notification for all public and private educational institutions, according to the notification they are to stay closed during the day across Jamshoro.
The decision has been made for the sake of providing ease to the devotees and providing a smooth administrative arrangement during the celebrations.
The announcement coincides with the time period of several observances taking place throughout the country.
February 5 is being observed as a Kashmir Solidarity Day all across the country with public events and public expressions of support in various cities.
Meanwhile, the government of Punjab has also announced the holidays in regard to the celebrations of Basant and added to the atmosphere of festivities at the beginning of the month.
The three-day long Urs of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar will begin from Sehwan Sharif, the resting place of the revered Sufi saint of 13th Century.
Annual mass gathering on Urs of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar is one of the largest religious congregations in Pakistan with millions of devotees from all over Pakistan and abroad.
The Urs is celebrated with traditional dhamaal, mass prayers and various spiritual rituals that are carried out at the shrine.
Devotees join the ceremonies that echo the deep-rooted Sufi traditions related to Lal Shahbaz Qalandar whose message of love, tolerance and devotion still resonates.
Authorities have said that comprehensive security and traffic management plans are being put in place to manage the expected large number of pilgrims.
Special arrangements are also being made for the facilitation of the public as well as maintaining order throughout the event.
Also read: Govt announces public holiday on Feb 5
