By Riaz Narejo
DADU: The 774th three-day annual Urs of the revered Sufi saint Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar (RA) will be held in Sehwan from February 9 to 11, 2026, amid extensive administrative, security and civic arrangements to accommodate millions of devotees expected from across Pakistan.
The preparations were reviewed by Deputy Commissioner Jamshoro, Ghazanfar Ali Qadri, who chaired a high-level meeting at the Darbar Hall in Jamshoro. The meeting held detailed discussions on security planning, medical facilities, traffic management, electricity supply, water provision and sanitation arrangements for the Urs.
Addressing the meeting, the deputy commissioner directed all concerned departments to remain on high alert throughout the three-day event and to ensure the uninterrupted provision of basic facilities to pilgrims. He warned that negligence or lapses in duty would not be tolerated.
The DC informed the participants that the Urs would be inaugurated by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, while the Governor of Sindh would attend the concluding ceremony on the third day. A range of cultural and other programs will also be organized during the Urs. Officials were told that a comprehensive security plan has been finalized, under which the area has been divided into eight security zones.
More than 5,000 security personnel will be deployed to ensure the safety of devotees. Surveillance measures will include the use of metal detectors, walk-through gates, drone cameras and facial recognition cameras, with technical support from NADRA. A special command and control room will be established and linked with the main control room at the shrine as well as NADRA’s system for real-time monitoring.
HESCO officials were directed to ensure an uninterrupted power supply during the Urs. The meeting was informed that three control rooms would be set up and that load-shedding would remain suspended throughout the three days of the event.
On medical arrangements, representatives of the Health Department and PPHI assured the meeting that fully equipped medical camps would be established, with ambulances and essential medicines available at key locations. An emergency will be imposed at the Syed Abdullah Shah Institute, Sehwan, and the leave of doctors and paramedical staff will be cancelled to ensure round-the-clock medical services.
Briefing the meeting on traffic arrangements, the SSP Motorway Police said a comprehensive traffic management plan had been finalized, including the establishment of a dedicated control room to monitor traffic flow. The National Highway Authority (NHA) also assured full cooperation to ensure smooth movement of vehicles.
Ahead of the Urs, the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board has been instructed to remove encroachments and ensure cleanliness in and around the shrine and adjoining areas. The meeting was attended by former MNA Sikandar Ali Rahpoto, Chief Administrator Auqaf Mukhtiar Ali Abro, Mumtaz Ali Manghi, Shehzad Ali Shah, and officers from the police, HESCO, Health Department, PPHI, Motorway Police, NHA and other relevant departments.
