Devotees pay homage to Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai on annual Urs

KARACHI: Three-day celebrations marking the 273rd Urs of the great Sufi saint Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai started on Tuesday in the town of Bhit Shah in Sindh province with enthusiasm and fervour.

Thousands of devotees have already reached Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai’s shrine to pay homage to the mystic poet and participate in the Urs celebrations.

Adequate arrangements have been made to facilitate the visitors, authorities said.

The district administration has adopted strict security arrangements including deployment of Rangers and police personnel, installation of walkthrough gates and closed-circuit cameras in order to avert any untoward incident.

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah in a message on the eve of 273rd Urs of Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai directed the concerned officials to ensure foolproof security in and around the shrine.

He said that Bhitai’s poetry gives a clear message of peace, love, brotherhood and tolerance.

The Sindh government on Friday had issued a notification declaring November 15 a public holiday on the occasion of the Urs.