SAHIWAL, Dec 3: Dewan Madood Masood Chishti opened Bahishti Darwaza at Baba Farid Ganj Shakar shrine in Pakpattan on Friday night during the annual Urs of the saint.
Thousands of male devotees will cross this gate. No female is, however, allowed to cross it.
The gate remains locked for the whole year and is opened during 10 days of annual Urs (first 10 nights of Muharram after Isha prayers till Fajr prayers).
Devotees believe that by crossing this gate, one’s sins are washed away. Others say it brings good omen and one can repent while crossing this gate. In 2001, 27 people were crushed to death and 100 others injured during a stampede at the shrine.
SLAVERY: Speakers at a seminar arranged on the International Day for Abolition of Slavery (Dec 2) demanded restoration of District Labour Officer’s powers.
These powers were curtailed during Gen Musharraf era when the officials were denied visiting commercial establishments for inspection, supervision and monitoring.
The seminar organised by a civil society organisation working for kiln labourers rights stressed the revival of district vigilance committees (DVCs) across the Punjab province.
Around 3.2 million labourers work at 27,000 kilns in Pakistan and 1.1 million of them are children working against paltry wages.
As there was no check by the district labour officer, owners of different commercial and industrial establishments started exploiting labourers by not providing them good working conditions prescribed under the Factories Act, 1934.
Speakers while marking the day demanded of the provincial government to revive the powers of the labour officer.
They also demanded that the district and sessions judge instead of the district coordination officer must head the DVCs.
Shazia Wattoo, a rights activist, told Dawn revival of labour officer’s powers would help regulate and improve working conditions of kiln workers.
This will allow regular functioning of DVCs besides bringing it out from political clutches, Insan Dost Association head Anjum Matto added.
