August 29, 2007	Wednesday	Sha’aban 15, 1428

DADU, Aug 28: An official Mela committee tasked with facilitating devotees during the three-day festival marking the 755th Urs of Hazrat Qalandar Lal Shahbaz, commencing from Sept 1 in Sehwan, decided that no tax would be imposed on transport, shops and stalls during the celebrations.

Jamshoro DCO Dr Khawar Jamil who presided over the committee’s meeting said that the governor of Sindh, Dr Ishratul Ibad, would inaugurate the Urs.

Sindh Minister for Culture Rauf Siddiqui and Jamshoro District Nazim Malik Asad would be chief guests on the second day and Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim would give away awards to musicians on the concluding day, he said.

The committee decided that storage tanks would be built on different roads of the town to supply drinking water to devotees round the clock during the three days and 20 new transformers would be installed to improve power supply.

The DPO said that 2,000 police officials would be deployed and close circuit cameras would be installed to monitor law and order in the town.

Sehwan Nazim Mohammad Ashraf Solangi complained that police and influential persons often misbehaved and extorted money from the devotee on the pretext of taxes on the occasion. The DCO said that this time around, no taxes would be imposed on shopkeepers and transporters.

The committee banned swimming in Aral Canal and Indus River during the Urs and decided to set up free medical camps along the Indus Highway.

Secretary Mela committee Sohail Adeeb Bachani said that heavy vehicles would be stopped at the Indus Highway and diverted through Moro to Hyderabad National Highway during the three days.