DADU: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Wednesday laid a chador and floral wreaths on the grave of Qalandar Lal Shahbaz and praised the authorities concerned for efficient management of 200,000 devotees who visited Sehwan to take part in the three-day festivities of the saint’s 765th Urs.

The chief minister said in his address at the concluding programme of the Urs that Sindh was plagued by nagging shortages of water, power and gas and it was a constitutional and democratic right of the province to voice protest against such injustices.

He said that murder of Sindhi labourers in Balochistan was terrorism. Pakistan Peoples Party Sindh president Nisar Ahmed Khuhro would soon offer condolences to the bereaved family and announce government’s support for them, he said.

Later, at a public meeting in Pipri village in Dadu taluka, the chief minister said that Sehwan-Jamshoro road would be expanded within three months to reduce load of traffic and avoid accidents on the road.

He said that shortage of water in Johi, Kachho and other parts of Sindh would be ended with mega water supply projects which could replace the failed reverse osmosis plants.

The chief minister was accompanied on his visit by provincial ministers Imdad Ali Pitafi, Mukesh Chawla, Syed Ghulam Shah Jilani, Dr Sikandar Shoro and MPA Abdul Aziz Junejo.

Literary conference

Intellectuals, writers and poets have demanded that research be conducted anew on Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar; publishing this could promote peace and put an end to terrorism.

Speaking at a literary conference held at Shahbaz Auditorium, which began late on Tuesday evening and continued till Wednesday morning, they said research on his poetry and teachings was not carried out in a proper way.

A large number of research scholars, writers and intellectuals from across the country attended the conference and read papers on Sufism and history of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar.

Prof Abdullah Mallah said that in tasawwuf, the Qalandar had a high spiritual station. He said Qalandar had focused on Sindh and the land of Sindh was the centre of love and peace.

Demanding that fresh research on the Qalandar be started, Dr Mahmood Bukhari complained that the material on the saint which had already been researched was not published by the culture department.

Noted intellectual Inaam Shaikh said the previous research about the Qalandar had ‘expired’. Its standard was not high, he said, adding that research on the Qalandar should be done anew and propagated among people.

Kulsoom Zaid, an intellectual, said the Qalandar’s preaching of Sufism was for all the world and his message of peace and love could eradicate terrorism from Pakistan and the world.

Sindh Minister for Tourism and Culture Syed Sardar Ali Shah announced that research on the Qalandar would be launched. The resumption of dhamal after the blast at the shrine was a message to anti-Sufi elements, he added.

Published in Dawn, May 18th, 2017