KARACHI: The Sindh government has announced a public holiday on January 11 for the Urs (annual celebration) of Saint Lal Shahbaz Qalandar.
The Department of Services, General Administration, and Coordination issued a notification on Saturday, February 16, 2025, declaring a public holiday across Sindh, including major cities Karachi and Hyderabad.
The notification reads that the public holiday will be observed throughout the province, and all educational institutions as well as government and private offices, autonomous and semi-autonomous bodies, corporations, businesses, and local councils that come under the administrative control of the Sindh government except essential services will remain closed.
All the education institutions, including schools, colleges, and universities in Sindh, will remain close on 19th February, Wednesday.
The 773rd annual Urs of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar’ will commence for three days, starting from 17th Feb in Sehwan Sharif.
The arrangements in this regard have been finalised by the district administration and Governor Sindh Kamran Tessorii will formally inaugurate the festivities of Urs by laying a floral wreath on the tomb.
The Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Murad Shah will conclude the celebrations on the third day by laying another sacred floral sheet on the shrine. The Deputy Commissioner of Jamshoro is the Chairman of the Shahbaz Mela Committee, Ghazanfar Ali Qadri, who has played a leading role in the preparations of the annual celebration of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar’s Urs.
The celebrations are expected to be attended by millions of devotees, as it is considered an important saint in the rich history of Sindh.
