LAHORE, Oct 31: Arrange-ments have been finalized for the Tableeghi Ijtima, starting at Raiwind, about 30 km from here, on Thursday (today).

Hundreds of thousands of faithful from across the world will participate in the annual moot, the second largest congregation of Muslims after Haj.

Special security arrangements have been made for the four-day congregation to ward off any subversive activity in the wake of US strikes on Afghanistan.

The moot will provide a chance to hear the views of the Ummat, specially those coming from America and Europe, about the terror attacks on the United States, its aftermath on the Muslim population living there and killing of innocent civilians in Afghanistan during the ‘retaliatory’ bombardment by the US and allied forces.

Pakistan’s role in “war on terror” will also figure in the discussions among the participants in the congregation held annually to train the faithful for propagating the teachings of Islam in the country as well as across the world.

Renowned local and foreign religious scholars will deliver lectures at the moot highlighting various aspects of preaching. Arrangements are made for transcribing the speeches of foreign scholars into Urdu.

Preaching teams will be formed on the concluding day (Sunday) which will go every nook and corner of the country and around the world to spread the message of Islam.

Special prayers will also be offered at the end of the moot for the solidarity and prosperity of the country and the Ummat.

A grand ‘tent village’ has sprung up at the venue of the moot as the city government has made arrangements for supply of water and eatables, provision of health facilities, etc. To cope with the unusual flow of vehicular traffic on the occasion, the traffic police have chalked out a special plan.

The vehicles coming from other cities will not be allowed to enter Lahore to avoid congestion of traffic in the city. Separate parking lots have been marked for small and big vehicles.