20 February 2005	Sunday	10 Muharram 1426

MULTAN, Feb 19: The Youm-i-Ashur will be observed on Sunday with traditional religious fervour amid extraordinary security measures taken to avert any untoward incident.

Multan is among those cities of the country where a number of mourning processions are taken out on the 10th of Muharram. Around 410 processions of Taziya, Zuljinah and Alam will be taken out from various parts of the city.

Multan is also famous (along with Chiniot) for producing exquisite and highly decorated taziyas made of wood. However, the most famous of all the taziyas of Multan are the ones called taziyas of Ustad and Shagird. Both the ancient taziyas are brought out from the Pak Gate of the Walled City.

The 25 feet high taziya of Ustad is said to be prepared in 1825 by a craftsman Pir Bakhsh while of the Shagird came into being after a few years of the creation of the Ustad's taziya.

The exact name of the maker of Shagird's taziya is not known, however, some people say that his name was Elahi Bakhsh. Meanwhile, Jawans of the Pakistan Army will also patrol along with the riot police in the sensitive areas.