SAHIWAL: Baba Farid’s shrine caretaker Dewan Madood Masood Chishti unlocked the traditional silver gates for the opening of Bahishti Darwaza on Thursday evening.

A large number of people are flocking to the shrine of Baba Farid at his annual Urs in Pakpattan city and opening of the door is an age-old ritual.

The door will remain open for five consecutive nights from Maghrib to Fajr prayers, allowing countless devotees to go through it till Muharram 10.

Police sources said around 35,000 devotees went through the door without any disturbance in one night.

Deputy Commissioner Ahmed Sohail said keeping in view humid weather conditions, the local administration was providing cold water and pedestal fans to the devotees in long queues. He said special chlorine spray was being done on queues.

Meanwhile, the Mepco officials claim special arrangements have been made for the city where no loadshedding took place in the last 10 days.

The Rescue 1122 has set up emergency camps in and around the shrine.

Police said 1,300 officials including women were engaged in round-the-clock duty. Besides, 150 CCTV cameras have been installed.

DPO Naseebullah Khan told Dawn that a central control room had been established. He said women police personnel had been assigned duties to take care of women devotees.

A team of the Faridnagar police station said it arrested a young man involved in mobile phones’ theft at the shrine.

SUBSTANDARD MILK: A team of the Punjab Food Authority (PFA) has confiscated substandard milk being supplied to many areas during a raid at Milk Collection Centre, Islampura, Adda Kameer.

The additional director operations led the team which seized 80 litres of cooking oil, five kg milk powder and three dozen cans of nutrients used in preparation of milk.

The Kameer police registered a case against the owners of the milk unit and arrested two employees.

Published in Dawn, August 6th, 2022