FIR registered after devotees storm Lal Shahbaz Qalandar shrine

A case has been registered against 400 unidentified men for breaking one of the gates of the Lal Shahbaz Qalandar shrine in Sehwan Thursday evening.

At least 16 people were reportedly injured after devotees, from across the country, stormed the shrine. The police baton-charged them, and they responded by pelting stones at them.

The devotees said that they have come to attend the 769th urs of the Sufi saint. The urs was supposed to start on April 1 evening but was cancelled after the Sindh government decided to close all shrines because of rising coronavirus metrics. Hundreds of devotees had, however, already arrived in Sindh.

An FIR has been registered against them under the following sections of the Pakistan Penal Code.

• 295: Injuring or defiling place of worship, with intent to insult the religion of any class.
• 427: Mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees.
• 324: Attempt to commit qatl-i-amd.
• 269: Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life.
• 353: Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty.
• 148: Rioting, armed with a deadly weapon.
• 186: Obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions.
• 149: Every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of a common object.
• 435: Mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to cause damage to the amount of one hundred rupees.
• 504: Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace.

The Jamshoro SSP has also ordered an inquiry into the clash.

Sindh closes shrines till April 8

The Sindh government has decided to close shrines across the province in light of the third wave of the novel coronavirus.

The decision was taken by the province’s endowments minister, Sohail Anwar Sial, on Saturday, March 27. The orders will be implemented from March 28 till April 8.

According to Sial, the urs of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar, which was supposed to take place at Sehwan Sharif starting Shaban 18 (April 1), has been cancelled as well.

On March 24, the shrine was open for believers with strict SOPs. The urs was cancelled last year as well when the virus first broke out.

from SAMAA https://ift.tt/2QZWqu1