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Archive for May, 2012

SC moved against US embassy expansion project

Posted by Dr. Manzer Durrani in Defense on May 23rd, 2012

SC moved against US embassy expansion project
ISLAMABAD: 23-May-2012
Supreme Court of Pakistan

Supreme Court of Pakistan. — Photo by AFP

A retired army officer on Tuesday moved before the Supreme Court against expansion plans of US embassy, saying that it would pose a threat to national security and country’s sovereignty.
A constitutional petition is moved by Lt. Col. (R) Inam-Ul-Rahiem, a practicing advocate of High Court, through his counsel Tariq Asad Advocate under Article 184 (3) of the Constitution. The petitioner is also chief coordinator of All Pakistan Ex Servicemen legal Forum.
Making the Chairman of the Capital Development Authority and others as respondents in his plea, the petitioner said that the construction of huge building and underground bunkers were threat to the security and sovereignty of the state and against the right of life and liberty of citizens as guaranteed to them under Articles 4, 9, 10-A and 14 of the Constitution. He said according to CDA sources, the US State Department had begun construction of building of new Embassy Compound in Islamabad. The US had already raised the level of its manpower to such an extent as if a mini-state was being constructed.
He said, “The US is expanding its mission in Islamabad through a fortified Embassy compound by spending over a $1 billion on its construction. This expanded compound would be sufficient to house hundreds of new employees. Besides, US is strengthening its consulates in Karachi, Peshawar and Lahore.” He said the Capital Development Authority (CDA) conveyed on January 10, its approval to the US embassy for the construction of 16 new buildings with covered area of 1,734,212 sq ft.
Deputy Director, Building Control Section-II of the CDA had conveyed the approval of the above building plans to Sandra M Muench, Management Counselor of the US embassy after a meeting of CDA Senior Management. The Americans wanted to build a seven-floor building which could house 7,000 US personnel, he added. He disputed a statement of US Embassy spokesman Mark Strouh who had explained that the US embassy was constructing new embassy building as the existing one was 30 years old which was a lame excuse.
The petitioner further said that construction work was already in full swing to construct a mini-America in Islamabad which required intervention and probe in the interest of security and sovereignty of Pakistan. The presence of such large number of Americans in Pakistan would be a security threat to Pakistan, he added. Raising his other concern, he said the US was not expanding its Embassy but aimed to form its base in Islamabad, which could result in increase in terror activities in the country.
The petitioner was of the view that such expansion plans could be interlinked with Blackwater that was honeycombed with CIA, US Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), Pentagon and State Department in conducting a variety of operations. “Additionally, it is also perceived by the people and the media to be involved in supporting the agenda of destroying the fabric of Pakistan’s nationhood through suicide bombings, fanning religious extremism and supporting nationalist and separatist movements, using Pakistanis whose loyalties are up for sale,” he added.
Requesting the Court to intervene, the petitioner argued that the respondents were derogating from the express provisions of the Constitution and were also allowing the external intervention by allowing the US Embassy to construct huge building, a few kilometers from Kahuta, which was threat to the “atomic assets” of Pakistan. He maintained that US had motives to intervene in the sovereignty of Afghanistan and Pakistan for a long ago.
The Court was requested to form a high level Commission comprising of persons of high repute from retired judges of Supreme Court and/or High Courts, lawyers of high repute not necessarily the elected members, civil engineers to be nominated by the PEC, and the think tanks and politicians of good integrity to visit the site of US Embassy Buildings and submit a detailed report.

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INDO-BRITISH TERRORIST ALTAF HUSSAIN’S MQM KILLERS SPRAY FOUNTAINS OF BLOOD IN BEAUTIFUL KARACHI

Posted by Dr. Manzer Durrani in Defense on May 23rd, 2012

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INDO-BRITISH TERRORIST ALTAF HUSSAIN’S MQM KILLERS SPLASH FOUNTAINS OF BLOOD

How can Britain expect Pakistanis to fight terrorism, when it patronizes terrorists, like Brahmdagh Bugti and Altaf Hussain.

Britons who live in glass houses should not throw stones at Pakistani neighbours.

 


 

“May Allah’s wrath fall on Altaf Hussain and his progeny”, the Indo-British, Terrorist and  Pakistani’s Enemy No.1 

Karachi, our beautiful, our gorgeous Karachi is spilling rivers of blood. Cursed is the day, when Altaf Husssain and his family stepped on the soil of Pakistan. His ancestors must have blood of killers like Taimur Lame, Hitler, or Pol-Pot’s genes in their make-up. This satanic progeny has let loose a reign of terror in Pakistan and decimated its most loved city into a den of murderers and extortionists. 

How can British fight terrorism, when they deliberately ignore the terrorism exported their agent and citizen Altaf Hussain. This Satan’s disciple through the safety and sanctuary of Britain is exporting terrorism by proxy to Karachi, Pakistan.  

MQM killers targeted the Awami Tehreek, a small but dynamic organization, which was trying to bring peace to Karachi. But, the RAW handlers of Altaf Hussain wanted to maintain the status quo of cataclysmic violence.

 

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May 12 Karachi carnage National Conference calls for lodging FIR against Musharraf

Posted on May 13, 2012

 The national conference of different political parties on Saturday declared May12 Karachi Carnage of 2007 as the national tragedy and demanded of the judiciary to take to the task the culprits who massacred the innocent people. It also demanded the government for compensating the loss of human lives that took place on that day.Demanding immediate removal of Dr. Ishratul Ibad from the office of Governor of Sindh, the conference described him main character of May 12 massacre, and said the Governor House has become a safe haven for the terrorists due to him.Organized by Jamaat-e-Islami, Pakistan at a local hotel in Karachi, the national conference further demanded lodging of FIR against former President Gen ‘ Pervez Musharraf and other government and political persons responsible for that bloodshed.A resolution unanimously passed by the conference urged for probing the May 12 massacre by a tribunal headed by the judge of Supreme Court and also that the nation should be apprised of the results of investigations made so far. Like the May 12 carnage, the judicial probe should also be conducted into the tragic incidents of 12 Rabi-ul-Awal, May 12, 2006, October 18, 2007, April 09, 2008, Aashura bomb blast and Boltan Market incident so that the assailants could be brought to justice, it demanded. The national conference, through the resolution, urged for an end to appointments in Sindh police on political grounds and reorganizing the police force on professional basis for taking effective action against killers, extortionists and other law-breakers. The conference called for immediate action against the terrorists and other criminals nominated in FIRs of all the cases of target killings and extortion. The national conference on ‘May 12 carnage, results of reconciliation policy, target killings, extortion and restoration of peace in Karachi’, noted with concern that a coalition partner of the government has made hostage all the departments of Sindh government and the local government. It also called for reorganizing the home department of Sindh government purging the black sheep and fixing the 3-month period for bringing an end to the target killing and extortion in Karachi. A large number of political and religious leaders from across the country attended and addressed the conference presided over by JI Ameer Syed Munawar Hassan. Prominent among them were former foreign minister and Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi, provincial chief of PTI Nadir AkmalLeghari, PML-N leaders Raja ZafarulHaque, Senator Mushahdullah Khan, Syed Gaus Ali Shah, Salim Zia, Syed Jalal Mahmood Shah of Sindh United Party, Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo of National Party of Balochistan, Hafiz Hussain Ahmed, Syed Alam Shah of HariTehreek, KunwarQuttubuddin of PML-F, Mahmood-ul-Hassan, president Karachi Bar Association,  Senator Shahi Syed of ANP, OwaisNoorani of JUP, Muhammad HussainMahnati and MaulanaAsadullah Bhutto of JI, QamarBhatti and some other nationalist leaders, representatives of Sunni Tehreek, Tehreek-e-Islami, Awami Muslim League, small traders’ organization, Rickshaw Owners’ Association and a large number of others. The political and religious leaders criticized the government and said the killers of innocent people on May 12 were not arrested because they are sharing power under the reconciliation policy. Some of them urged the UK government to expel MQM chief AltafHussain being a murderer. The leaders were of the view that present situation was the continuity of May 12 carnage. They said the extortion money being collected in Karachi runs in tens of millions that was earlier in thousands of rupees. Almost all of the leaders were of the view that the intelligence agencies were well aware of the elements involved in target killings and extortion. The leaders showed their surprise why the Chief Justice of Pakistan did not take Suo Moto notice of May 12 carnage that took place when the political parties and civil society organizations had gathered to welcome him on his arrival in Karachi.

Abbas Haider· writes 38 weeks ago

I have one solution for this. i request you newspaper that collect all public comments and send to MI5 and MI6. Then they will understand the truth about MQM terrorism. 
And I know that mr zardari will make a great deal with MQM on imran farooq murderer. But we all need to inform MI5 and MI6 that MQM is not a political party. MQM is directly involve in Karachi target kililng because MQM want to show that pushtoon, sindhi, punjabi and balochi’s are involve in karachi target kiling. but truth is that MQM worker is doing this all thing in Karachi and they change their dresses like pushtoon, sindhi, punjabi and balochi’s style. and then they killed innocent peoples in Karachi. 
MQM k loog apna dress aur hulya change kar kay aur zuban ka style pathan, sindhi, balochi aur punjabi wala kar kay target killing kar rahay hian. ta kay loog samjhain k MQM to kuch nahi kar rahi. aur yehi waja ha k karachi main operation ho raha ha magar mqm k areas main nahi ho raha. q k mqm walo nay yeh show kia ha k mqm k areas main FULL AMAN ha. koye tensin nahi ha wahan. is liye rangers bhi bewaqoof ban gayi ha.

Does Britain back MQM’s violence? By Shiraz Paracha

The British government shares some responsibility for violence in Karachi as wanted criminals use their UK bases to incite hate and violence in Pakistan.

Altaf Hussain, a British citizen and a mafia style leader of a linguistic group, everyday violates the British ‘Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994’ and the ‘Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006’ by inciting hatred and encouraging bloodshed in Pakistan.

Under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 the following are arrestable offences in Britain:
a) Deliberately provoking hatred of a racial group.
b) Distributing racist material to the public.
c) Making inflammatory public speeches.
d) Creating racist websites on the Internet.

From his London headquarters, Hussain gives hours long hate speeches over the phone to supporters of his party, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), in Pakistan. The MQM applies latest telecommunication technology to instantly spread Hussain’s hate speeches to thousands of people in different Pakistani cities.

In British law a hate speech is defined as:
“A gesture or conduct, writing, or display which is forbidden because it may incite violence or prejudicial action against or by a protected individual or group, or because it disparages or intimidates a protected individual or group. The law may identify a protected individual or a protected group by race, gender, ethnicity, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, or other characteristic”.

The British law forbids “communication which is hateful, threatening, abusive, or insulting and which targets a person on account of skin colour, race, nationality (including citizenship), ethnic or national origin, religion, or sexual orientation. The penalties for hate speech include fines, imprisonment, or both.”

A fugitive, Altaf Hussain, is wanted in many criminal cases including murder and abduction in Pakistan. He absconded to the United Kingdom in the early 1990s. Surprisingly, he was given British citizenship. Ever since he has been involved in crimes against people of Pakistan and his mercenaries have turned Karachi into a city of death and destruction.

Several of Hussain’s lieutenants in London are criminal gangsters who have been accused of murdering innocent people in Pakistan.

MQM foot soldiers in Karachi often use force to collect ‘donations’ from ordinary citizens. They intimidate traders and businessmen of urban Sindh by demanding either give money to MQM, or risk losing businesses and even lives.

Every month hundreds and thousands of British Pounds are sent to Altaf Hussain and his gang in London. It is robbed money often collected at gunpoint. The MQM is also involved in murders, abduction and torture of its opponents. Most crimes are probably committed with the knowledge and approval of the MQM bosses in London.

The question is why the British government has been facilitating a criminal gang which is running death squads in Karachi? Why the British government has allowed Altaf Hussain to spread havoc on the streets of Karachi? Why the MQM is allowed to bring robbed money to Britain from Pakistan? Why a hate group that is involved in mass scale violence is allowed to operate in Britain?

Indeed Britain is indirectly sponsoring a criminal mafia that has paralyzed the main hub of the Pakistani economy. Is there a hidden British agenda?

Shiraz Paracha is a journalist and analyst. His email address is: [email protected]

MQM’s activists behind Farooq’s murder (ref)

1

Dr Imran Farooq. File photo

KARACHI – The people involved in the murder of senior Muttahida Qaumi Movement leader Dr Imran Farooq were graduates of Karachi University and affiliated with the party’s student wing, Pakistan Today learnt on Friday.
The arrests were made after joint efforts by Scotland Yard and Pakistani security agencies. Sources told Pakistan Today that two men arrested in connection with the murder were graduated in 2009 from Karachi University, where they were part of the government’s allied party. A key leader of the political party, Hammad, played an important role in making contacts with the two youngsters and sending them out of the country, the sources said.
“He was also an old student of Karachi University and been a leader of the student organization,” the sources claimed. Hamad is an Entomologist and got his MSc degree from Karachi University. He is a resident of Block-8 area of Azizabad. Hamad provided services as the in-charge of Anti Malaria Programme of the City District Government under Karachi Nazim Mustafa Kamal. He selected the two youngsters by using his contacts in the student organisation of the university. He made arrangements for their student visas and provided necessary facilities in leaving the city. 
“He fulfilled the documentary requirements of the youngsters for visa and arranged their tickets for London,” the sources said, adding that the “two consultants who provide help for obtaining visas have also been arrested and being interrogated by the law enforcement agencies.” Both youngsters went to the UK in August 2010 and left England in September after the murder Dr Imran Farooq on September 16. Both reached Sri Lanka and stayed there for about 11 months. 
Sources claimed that Scotland Yard made investigation and informed Pakistani agencies about the two men and their possible arrival at Karachi airport. Scotland Yard also provided the complete data of the two men. Ready for the arrests, agencies apprehended both men on August 22 as soon as they got off the plane. Sources claimed that security agencies has also arrested another man, Khalid Shamshad, from the airport who was present there to receive the suspects, but released him following “pressure” from the representatives of the federal government in Sindh.
Later, the agencies sent a report to high-ups, who ordered the re-arrest of Khalid Shamshad. “Khalid is the mastermind of the murder of Dr Imran Farooq and the two arrested men came back from Sri Lanka on his instructions,” the sources said.
They said Khalid had planned to kill both men to remove the all clues about the murder of Dr Farooq. “The two arrested men have confessed to killing Dr Iman Farooq,” the sources said, adding that Pakistani agencies had informed the Scotland Yard about the confession statement of the suspects.

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CHADAR HAI MAA-In loving memory of Shuhada-i-Siachen

Posted by Dr. Manzer Durrani in Our Heroes on May 20th, 2012

The horror called Siachen Glacier

The Quran declares that “those who are slain in Allah’s way” are not dead, but alive (3:169),

3:169

 

 

 

By Maj Usman TahiR

 

Much is being said and reported about the incident due to which around 135 families are being traumatised. The Siachen Glacier by virtue of its difficult terrain and unpredictable weather poses a huge risk to our soldiers who operate in that terrain 365 days a year. It is important that before commenting on why the rescue operation of this magnitude is not bearing fruits, we should know the demography and other important conditions, which are making this operation unsuccessful. The sheer magnificence and enormousness of the tremendous landscape put one in a state of trance as to what really would have been the reason

It is only the first time since 1984 that an incident of this magnitude has occurred. But, in reality every year we have fatal deaths, which are mostly weather related casualties occurring in this area and left un-reported. It was one such fatal early morning of December 2003 when I prepared my subordinates who were proceeding on leave after they have completed their tenure on the post. After prayers, the group left the post. It had only travelled for three hours, a huge avalanche engulfed the five-member team and within seconds they were nowhere to be seen. I was informed immediately about the incident. 

On hearing the news, I hurriedly wore my equipment and slid down around 2,000ft wearing the parka in order to save my colleagues, as I had no idea what to do. As I put my ice axe in that avalanche, I realised I have lost them. Tears rolled down my eyes but I quickly had to control them in order to motivate my other team members who had joined me for the rescue. It was horrifying to see that the avalanche had actually become rock hard. From that day onwards, we carried the rescue operation for 17 days amidst the extreme temperature but to no avail. 

Eventually, the operation was called off due to the rising temperature and lack of ration that was dumped on the post to be consumed for 14 people in five months. It was only after the temperature rose and water started flowing that we again started the rescue operation in August 2004 after eight months with 125 people digging almost 12 hours a day. 

We devised a strategy to dig tunnels at five different places. It was a challenging operation as my men were getting tired and exhausted but we were unable to find a trace. I was scared that maybe water underneath has taken bodies away. But due to continuous prayers and hard work, we were finally able to locate a finger of our brave shaheed. We found a main source and in the next two days, we found all our five shuhada.

It is not an easy task to have operation in these areas. Only people who have operated in this area can understand the complexities of Siachen Glacier. We have no doubt that the rescuers are working hard but then it is the terrain, which is making their work even more complex. Lastly, the Siachen tragedy should be an eye-opener for the leaders of India and Pakistan and a reminder to the world community to see for itself the cost paid by the forces of two neighbours. The world must exert full pressure on India to vacate Siachen so that both India and Pakistan could divert the colossal amount spent on the maintenance of troops towards alleviation of poverty in the two countries.

The writer has served in Pakistan Army from 1996-2010

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PAKISTAN’S MUSICAL HERITAGE : SINDHI MYSTIC DHAMAAL BY SHAZIA KHUSHK

Posted by Dr. Manzer Durrani in Art & Culture on May 19th, 2012

Lal Shahbaz Qalandar

 

Lal Shahbaz Qalandar, whose real name was Muhammad Uthman was born in 1143CE in Marand, near Tabraiz, Iran. He was the direct descendent of Imam Jafar as-Sadiq.

 

After completing his education,Lal Shahbaz left for Baghdad where he met Baba Ibrahim Karbalai and became his disciple. Baba Ibrahim was the spiritual follower of Jamal Mujjarrad (the celibate).

 

Lal Shahbaz received khilafat (spiritual sainthood) and other sacred gifts including a stone, which was attributed to Imam Zainul Abideen, from his Shaykh Baba Ibrahim. It is said to be the same stone that hangs on his shrine in Sehwan. Following instructions from his Shaykh, Lal Shahbaz left Baghdad for Sindh via Balkh and Khurasan. In Balkh(present-day Afghanistan), the childless King had asked him to pray for him so that he could have an heir to his throne. Lal Shahbaz did pray for him for the birth of his Crown prince but later told him that his future son would eventually end up working for him (Lal Shahbaz). That would be Crown prince is known in history as Abu Ben Adham (Abu Ibrahim Ben Adham) who after ruling the Balkh State for some years, abdicated his throne to become a wandering dervish.

 

In the holy city of Mashad,Khurasan Lal Shabaz is said to have meditated at the shrine of Imam Ali Rida (a.k.a. Ali Reza) for forty days and nights continuously. Afterwords he also stayed at the Panjgur valley of Makran, Baluchistan. The place later became known as Dasht-e-Shahbaz, where many Baluch tribesmen became his followers. Mughal Emperor Babur mentioned the place in his autobiography Tuzuk-e-Baburi.

 

On his way from Baluchistan to Sindh, he also stayed near the present day Karachi’s Manghopir area for muraqaba (meditation), and it is said that Manghopir’s natural warm fountain is a miracle of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar. That warm fountain started to flow from beneath the hill, on which Lal Shahbaz sat for muraqba (meditation). After passing hundreds of years, that warm fountain is still flowing continuously and is said to have miraculous healing power especially for asthma patients.

 

In Multan, Lal Shahbaz met Bahauddin Zachariah Multani of the Suhurwardiya order, Baba Farid Ganjshakar of Chishtiya order, and Makhdoom Jahanian Surkh Bukhari. The attachment was so cordial and spiritual that their friendship became legendary. They were known as Chahar Yar (Farsi= four friends). According to some historians, the four friends visited various parts of Sindh and Punjab, in present day Pakistan.

 

Almost all the saints of Sindh including Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai, Makhdoom Bilawal, Sachal Sarmast and Qadir Bukhsh Bedal were devout followers of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar.

 

The saint shed his mortal frame in 1252 and is buried in Sehwan.

Religion Islam, specifically theSuhrawardiyya Sufi order
Othername(s) Lal Shahbaz Qalandar
Personal
Born 1177
Maiwand, Afghanistan
Died 1274
Sehwan, Pakistan
Senior posting
Based in Sehwan
Title Shahbaz
Period in office 12th/13th century
Predecessor Baha-ud-din Zakariya
Successor Various

Syed Usman Marwandi or known as Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar (1177–1274) (Sindhi: لال شھباز قلندر), a Sayed Sufi saint, philosopher, poet, and qalandar. Born Syed Hussain Shah,[1] he belonged to the Suhrawardiyya order of Sufis.

He preached religious tolerance among Muslims and Hindus. His mysticism attracted people from all religions. He was called Lal (red) after his usual red attire, Shahbaz due to his noble and divine spirit, and Qalandar for his Sufi affiliation. Many Hindus regard him as the incarnation of Bhrithari while others (Hindus from Sindh) consider him as an emanation of Jhule lal. Thousands of pilgrims visit his shrine in Sehwan every year, especially at the occasion of his Urs.


Life

Shahbaz Qalandar (Syed Usman Marwandi) was born in Maiwand, Afghanistan[2] to a dervish, Syed Ibrahim Kabiruddin[3] whose ancestors had migrated from Baghdad and settled in Mashhad, a center of learning and civilization, before migrating again to Marwand.

During his lifetime he witnessed the Ghaznavid and Ghurids rules in South Asia.[4] A contemporary of Baha-ud-din Zakariya, Fariduddin Ganjshakar, Syed Jalaluddin Bukhari Surkh-posh of Uchch, Shams Tabrizi, Mehre Ali Shah Mast and Rumi, he travelled around the Muslim world and settled in Sehwan (Sindh, Pakistan) where he was eventually buried.[5] Evidence shows that Shahbaz Qalander was in Sindh before 1196 when he met Pir Haji Ismail Panhwar of Paat. It is believed he arrived in Sehwan in 1251. He established a Khanqah there and taught in the Fuqhai Islam Madarrsah: during this period he wrote his treatises Mizna-e-Sart, Kism-e-Doyum, Aqd and Zubdah.

In Multan Lal Shahbaz met Bahauddin Zachariah Multani of the Suhrwardiyya, Baba Farid Ganjshakar of the Chishtiyya and Makhdoom Jahanian Surkh Bukhari. Their friendship became legendary: they were known as Chahar Yar (Persian = the four friends). According to some historians the four friends visited various parts of Sindh and Punjab in present day Pakistan. Saints of Sindh including Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai, Makhdoom Bilawal and Sachal Sarmast were followers of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar.

His dedication to the knowledge of various religious disciplines enabled him to eventually become a profound scholar. He became fluent in many languages including Persian, Turkish, Arabic, Sindhi and Sanskrit. He often quoted the teachings of Maulana Jalal ad-Din Rumi. Lal Shahbaz lived a celibate life. He died in 1274 after living 97 years.

In poetry and prose

A qawwali sung by Abida Parveen and many others, “Lal Meri Pat Rakhiyo …” is in honour of Shahbaz Qalandar, as is one sung in various versions by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and the Sabri Brothers, “Mast Qalandar“. “Solomon’s Ring” by Gul Hasan is a book based on his life.

Shrine

The shrine around his tomb, built in 1356, gives a dazzling look with its Sindhi kashi tiles, mirror work and one gold-plated door – donated by the late Shah of Iran, and installed by the late Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.[2] The inner sanctum is about 100 yards square with the silver canopied grave in the middle. On one side of the marble floor is a row of about 12-inch-high (300 mm) folding wooden stands on which are set copies of Quran for devotees to read. On the other side, beside a bundle of burning agarbattis (joss sticks), are rows of diyas (small oil lamps) lighted by devotees. Thousands of devotees visit the tomb, particularly every Thursday.

Urs

Lal Shahbaz’ annual Urs (death anniversary celebration) is held on the 18 Sha’aban – the eighth month of the Muslim lunar calendar. Sehwan springs to life and becomes the focal point of more than half a million pilgrims from all over Pakistan. On each morning of the three-day feast the narrow lanes of Sewhan are packed to capacity as pilgrims, fakirs and devotees make their way to the shrine to commune with the saint, offer tributes and make a wish. Most of the people present garlands and a green chadar with Qur’anic inscriptions in silver or gold threads, humming verses, singing and dancing in praise of the saint till late at night. The devotional dance known as ‘dhamal’, an ecstatic swirl of the head and body, is performed to the rhythm of the dhol, a big barrel-shaped drum, some of giant size and placed in the courtyard of the shrine. Bells, gongs, cymbals and horns make a thunderous din, and the dervishes in robes, beads, bracelets and colored head-bands whirl faster and faster until, with a final deafening shout, they run out into the courtyard.

Legends and Stories

On his way from Baluchistan to Sindh he stayed in present-day Karachi’s Manghopir area for meditation (muraqba), and it is said that Manghopir’s natural warm fountain started to flow from beneath the hill on which Lal Shahbaz sat. The fountain is still flowing continuously and is said to have miraculous healing power especially for asthma patients.

It is also believed that he turned into a falcon to pick up his friend Fariduddin Ganjshakar from the gallows. Another legend tells that the incumbent fakirs in Sehwan sent him a bowl of milk filled to the brim, indicating that there was no room for anything more. But he returned the bowl with a beautiful flower floating on the top.

Baba Sajid Saleem, an expert on Sufi legend, teaching in GIKI head of humanities department, also narrates another legend, in which a fellow (Murid) was requested meat Goshat by Shahbaz. The fellow Murid went to a town of infidels. The infidels tear the fellow and ate him. When Shahbaz knew about the incident he called him as if he was listening. The Murid came out of the stomach of infidels, integrated into the Murid and came back to service of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar.

See Also

References

  1. ^ Sarah Ansari (1971) Sufi Saints and State Power: The Pirs of Sind, 1843-1947. Vanguard Books
  2. ^ a b N M Mathyani (2002) Lal Shahbaz Qalandar: A great saint. Retrieved on 27 January 2008
  3. ^ I A Rashid (2004) Lal Shahbaz Qalandar. Story of Pakistan. 6 March. Retrieved on 27 January 2008
  4. ^ N B G Qazi (1971) Lal Shahbaz Qalandar ʻUthman Marwandi’. RCD Cultural Institute.
  5. ^ M Inam (1978) Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar of Sehwan Sharif. Karachi.

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YAADAIN : DEW DROPS OF MEMORIES

Posted by Dr. Manzer Durrani in Other on May 18th, 2012

To Times Gone By

To Lost Moments

To Precious Memories

To Those Who Were Not Meant to Be

To Silent Tears and Broken Hearts

To Childhood Sweethearts

To First Love

So Pure,

Caught in the Splendor of Galactic Cloud of a starry Night

To Mystical Magical Thoughts of First Loves Lost

To Morning Dew on Verdant Grass

To Singing Larks

To City Lights

To Azure Lights in Crystal Chandeliers

To Cloudy Peaks

To Rainy Nights

To Passionate Love

But, Not consumed

To Symphonic Nightingales

To Treasured Lives

To Dreams Unfulfilled

And,

All They Are,

Just Gentle Waves in the Oceams of  My Memories,

O’  So Near, And Yet So Far

They All come Aglow, On Sleepless Autumn Nights, 

My heart laments and whispers,

Where art thou, O’Where art thou,

And as I face my destiny’s end,

My fiery passion, a distant memory,

My silent thoughts are all I have.




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