SANGHAR, Jan 11: Sanghar district being the hub of Pir Pagara followers and supporters wore a mourning look with all its small and big towns closed and the roads deserted.

When the sad news reached Sanghar city, where 70 per cent population belongs to Hur Jamat, people closed their shops and business. Public and private transport disappeared from the roads.

A very large number of devotees of Pir Pagaro started leaving for Khairpur on buses, cars and vans in groups for attending funeral prayer of their beloved leader at Pir Jo Goth. Thousands of devotees could not control themselves and started sobbing.

Hur Jamat has announced that the city would remain closed for three days. All the government and private schools, colleges, banks, petrol pumps, CNG station and offices were closed.

The other towns of districtSanghar, including Shahdadpur, Khipro, Sinjhoro, Shahpur Chakar, Jhol, Tando Adam, Jam Nawaz Ali, Maqsoodo Rind, Khadro and others remained completely closed.

Late Shah Mardan Shah Rashidi-II 'Pir Pagara' titled as Chhat Dhani was the sixth in the line of the family to be the spiritual head of Hurs on Feb 4, 1952.

His father Syed Sibghatullah Shah known as Sooriah Badshah was arrested by the English rulers in the wake of the Hur uprising against the foreign rule and was hanged on March 20, 1943. After his martyrdom the spiritual seat of the head of the Hurs remained vacant for eight years till the accession of Pir Pagara in 1952.

The first Pir Pagaro was Sibghatullah Shah-I titled as Tajar Dhani, second was Ali Gohar Shah as Bungley Dhani, third was Hizbullah Shah as Takht Dhani, fourth was Shah Mardan Shah-I as Kot Dhani, fifth was SibghatullahShah-II as Pagg Dhani and sixth was Shah Mardan Shah-II as Chhat Dhani, Pir Pagaro.

Their grandfather was Mohammad Rashid (Roz-e-Dhani) who was born in 1758 was a very pious man. He started preaching Islam throughout the Subcontinent in the early age and people were attracted towards this pious man and his devotees increased day by day.

KHAIRPUR: Pir Jo Goth, the native town of Pir Pagaro, remained closed besides other towns of taluka Kingri.

A mourning atmosphere was also observed in other towns of the district, including Chondiko, Hingorja and Faiz Ganj and many towns of taluka Nara. Thousands of Hurs, political followers and other people started arriving Pir Jo Goth and shared their grief over the departure of their spiritual leader.

Delegations continued arriving in Pir Jo Goth from various partsof Sindh and other parts of country to attend funeral of Pir Pagaro to be held at Dargah Sharif Pir Jo Goth on Thursday.

HYDERABAD: Parts of city remained closed on Wednesday to mourn the death of Pir Sahib Pagara. Incidents of forced closure of shops were also reported in some areas.

Cantonment police detained three miscreants but released them later.

Reports said that shops in Nasim Nagar, Citizen colony, the main Qasimabad road, Bhittal town were closed. A condolence meeting was held by the PML-F, according to PML-F leader, Choudhry Nizam. Shops in Saddar Bazaar, mobile and computer markets remained closed.

Meanwhile, some shops were forcibly closed in Qasimabad by unidentified persons. In another Cantonment area near Tayyab complex, police detained threepersons when they tried to harass shopkeepers to close their business.

According to chairman peace committee of the Cantonment area, Ghazi Salahuddin, three persons came and forced shopkeepers to close their shops. One of them fired in the air while another tried to hit panes of his hotel which was already half shuttered, he added.

Deputy General Secretary of the Jamat-e-Islami Abdul Waheed Qureshi has said that the country has lost a patriotic politician. He said that Pagara Sahib's father Pir Sibghatullah Shah alias Sooriah Badshah had fought against British occupation.

The PPP local chapter, which held a meeting to express solidarity with the president, prime minister and parliament, also offered Fateha for the departed soul.

SUKKUR: Almost all bazaars and shops of Khanpur Mahar and Daharki towns of Ghotki districtwere kept closed on Wednesday.

A large number followers of Pir Sahib Pagaro from different areas of Khanpur Mahar, Ghotki, Daharki, Mirpur Mathelo, Khangarh, Pano Akil, Rohri, Salehpat, Kandhra and other allied areas left for Pir Jo Goth individually and in groups to attend the funeral prayers of Pir Sahib Pagaro.

UMERKOlT: A complete shutterdown was observed in all the towns of the district, including Umerkot, Samaro, Kunri, Pithoro, Dhoronaro, Chhor, Ghulam Nabi Shah and Shadi Palli. Transport remained off the road as a mark of respect to spiritual leader of Hur Jamat Pir Pagaro.

Quran Khawani was held at various places. Devotees and followers left for Pir Jo Goth to have his last glimpse and attend his funeral.

MNA Nawab Muhammad Yousuf Talpur, Provincial MinisterPopulation Welfare Syed Ali Mardan Shah, MPA Nawab Taimur Talpur and nationalist leader Abdul Wahid Arisar in their condolence messages called the death of Pir Pagaro an irreparable loss to the politics of Pakistan.

MIRPURKHAS: Sad atmosphere occupied the environment here. Groups of his followers from Sindhri, Hussain Bux Mari, Mirpurkhas and Jhuddo taluka left for Khairpur to attend the funeral of their spiritual leader.

Shops in Rahim Nagar, Bhansinghabad, Gulshan colony, Sindhri, Phuladiyoon, Abdul Kareem Shar stop and 78 Mori remained closed. Transport between Mirpurkhas and Sanghar remained off the road because most of the transporters of this route are followers of Pir Pagara.

Comrade Mewan Kumar and other rain-hit people held a 'Taddo' out side the press club to receive condolences.