19 November 2004	Friday	06 Shawwal 1425

LAHORE, Nov 18: The annual tableeghi congregation began at Raiwind, some 30km from here, on Thursday afternoon. A large number of the faithful from all over the country and abroad are attending the congregation that will conclude with a grand prayer on Sunday afternoon.

The Punjab government has made special security arrangements to avoid any untoward incident. Police contingents have been called out from all over the province and posted at important points on all roads leading to the venue of the congregation. Police posts have also been set up at different points, while policemen in plainclothes have been posted to keep a vigilance on suspects. Cameras have been installed at the venue and the parking lots. Police guards both in uniform and plainclothes have been given a free hand to undertake body search of any suspected person.

Traffic police have also been posted at all roads leading to the venue. Hundreds of buses, wagons, cars, vans and motorcycles carrying the people of all ages are reaching Raiwind. Elaborate arrangements have been made for the parking of these vehicles far away from the main venue. The entire traffic from the up-country towns has been diverted to the Motorway via Lahore Bypass and Thokar Niaz Beg. The same will be the return routes, and no vehicle with its destination to up-country will be allowed to enter Lahore city via Multan Road. Both lanes of the Thokar Niaz Beg-Raiwind Road will be closed on Sunday morning to allow a smooth flow of traffic from Raiwind to Lahore after the conclusion of the congregation.

The main venue of the congregation has been divided into 18 sectors, each sector for the people of certain districts, while one sector each has been reserved for the Karachiites and the Lahorites.

Arrangements have also been made for the supply of water for ablution, washing and drinking purposes by sinking tubewells. Wapda has also made special power supply arrangements. The health department has set up a mini-hospital and 16 dispensaries with 65 doctors and 250 paramedics to provide emergency treatment.

The railways and PIA have also made arrangements for the people attending the congregation. Special trains from Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta and Multan have been run to facilitate the participants. All trains will stop at the Raiwind railway station for a longer duration. Six trains will daily shuttle between Lahore and Raiwind during the congregation.

The timings of the shuttle service from Lahore are 10am, 12 noon, 2:30pm, 3pm, 8pm and 10:40pm, and from Raiwind 12:05pm, 2pm, 4:10pm, 6:15pm, 9.20pm and 12 midnight.

Two additional trains will be run on the concluding day of the congregation on Nov 21 which will leave Lahore at 8am and 9:15am and leave Raiwind at 10am and 11am. The PIA has set up special counters at Lahore airport.

Ulema from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia and many other Muslim countries will address about half a dozen general sessions of the congregation, while special sermons will be held for the ulema, students, teachers, foreign delegates and intellectuals.