Overlooking the Prime Minister House, the shrine of Hazrat Syed Abdul Latif Shah Kazmi, popularly known as Hazrat Bari Imam is a tourist spot in the tour guide’s list. Every year as the urs of the saint, who spread Islam in this part of the world, gains momentum, devotees in their thousands set out for the Margalla foothills and gather at Nurpur Shahan to pay their respect. Although many swarm the shrine all year round, the annual Urs last week began with a ghusal followed by a grand assembly of followers from across the country. Only last year the number exceeded a head count of 1.2 million people.
Hundreds of tents dot the area where devotees have settled for days now for what they call is a week of festivity and celebrations.
The Urs is a blend of spiritual and worldly activities. Food is in ample quantity. Stalls offer an exotic variety of halwa puri, channey jalebi and parathas. Also available are offerings by the rich-and-the-famous who strongly believe in distributing langar amongst the poor. Making use of the opportunity, many vendors have also set up stalls of bangles, chadars and slippers.
Nighttime is the best time to visit the shrine, as the atmosphere is hyped by glittering lights, sounds of qawalis and dhammals of malangs in an air filled with charas smoke. There was a time when the event attracted a number of dancing girls from Lahore. Although dancing is no more allowed, the women still come to pay their respect.
Transporters of different routes have voluntarily diverted their routes in order to facilitate the devotees, picking and dropping people around the clock as a contribution of their tribute to the Muslim saint. All the Capital’s agencies are on alert to ensure uninterrupted supply round the clock.
Wipe away the tears
Violence against children is a global phenomenon, beyond class, beyond developed and developing divides. But, 16 years after the global convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), the world has become bolder and can now speak openly about what was once enshrined in a culture of silence, a private practice and suffering from widespread denial.
Recently, a cross section of UN agencies, bilateral and international NGOs met in Islamabad to talk about this serious global issue that cuts across the entire region of South Asia.
The event began with the recitation from the Holy Quran by a nine-year-old Hafiz-e-Quran, Haji Mohammad Shiraz. The hall filled with children, from all the South Asian countries along with their chaperones, was decorated with posters and banners showing tears.
Tear, symbolizing ‘hurt and pain’ of children which has become embedded in institutionalized customs and practices in our homes, schools, communities and work places. Purple, the theme colour of the event was evident everywhere. Setting off numerous purple balloons in the air by children with a message saying ‘No more Violence’ marked the grand opening.
The presence of the first lady at the opening ceremony, and that of the Prime Minister at the closing, highlighted the importance of the issue. Violence, Mrs Musharraf said “has a grave impact on the personality of children and is disapproved by all societies and religions.” She called amongst South Asian countries that are not doing enough to prevent physical and psychological harm to children and young people.
“Today the hurt of children is increasingly becoming unacceptable, as it leads to a cumulative social erosion of human capital and values. It leads to perpetuation of violence and pain, making societies operate way below their optimum potential,” Zobaida Jalal, Minister for Social Welfare said as children and representatives from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka listened. According to Cecilia Lotse, UNICEF Regional Director, consultation had come at a time when there is more knowledge about abuses that go unseen. “A large number of children in South Asia are extremely vulnerable and we need to take the challenge collectively to end corporal punishment, early marriage and do more to see that street children are better protected.”
The Prime Minister termed ‘education and health’ the key to transforming the societies. “Children are the most vulnerable group in the societies were faced with numerous challenges like violence, sexual abuse and harassment mainly caused by poverty, illiteracy and intolerance,” Shaukat Aziz reiterated and after the closing went to the young Haji Mohammad Shiraz. Hugging the blind boy from Quetta, he complimented him for his excellent recitation from the Holy Quran.
Overlooking the Prime Minister House, the shrine of Hazrat Syed Abdul Latif Shah Kazmi, popularly known as Hazrat Bari Imam is a tourist spot in the tour guide’s list. Every year as the urs of the saint, who spread Islam in this part of the world, gains momentum, devotees in their thousands set out for the Margalla foothills and gather at Nurpur Shahan to pay their respect. Although many swarm the shrine all year round, the annual Urs last week began with a ghusal followed by a grand assembly of followers from across the country. Only last year the number exceeded a head count of 1.2 million people.
