More than 900 cops for security duties

Sep 03, 2012
Holy Mary Festival
 
 
 
 
LAHORE
 
More than 900 policemen will perform security duties in three shifts for the three-day pilgrimage at Mariamabad shrine in Sheikhupura beginning on September 7.
 
A control room and a picket, containing 40 policemen, have already been established at the shrine ahead of the 63rd Ijtema Barai Ziarat-i-Muqadsa Maryam at the shrine.
 
Six platoons of the Punjab Constabulary, Farooqabad, will each provide 40 officials and six reserves of the Police Training School Farooqabad 20 officials.
 
As many as 50 personnel of the Elite Force and 10 vehicles have already been provided to the Sheikhupura district police. Nankana Sahib and Kasur police will also assist Sheikhupura police with security arrangements.
 
More than 30 police vehicles will patrol major roads leading to the shrine. These include Sargodha Road, Lahore Road, Gujranwala Road, Faisalabad Road, Safdarabad -Marh Bhangwaan Road, By-pass Khanqah Dograan-Motorway Interchange and Sacha Sauda-Mananwala Road.
 
Special Branch and Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) officials will examine the premises of the shrine for any explosive materials a day before the start of the gathering.
 
Walk-through gates and closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras will be installed at four entrances to the shrine.
 
Two ambulances of the Rescue 1122 and others of the Health Department will remain present at Mariamabad.
 
A large number of Christians from different parts of the country attend the event every year.
 
History
 
People have traditionally been visiting the shrine on foot and pledging offerings for fulfilment of their prayers.
 
The origins of the annual pilgrimage date back to 1949. It began following an announcement by the Catholic Church of Pakistan that some residents of the village had reported seeing Holy Mary. Christians from across the country have been offering prayers at a sand mound near the place where people had reported seeing the saint.
 
Every year villagers pool wheat grain to prepare the ritual meals that are served to visitors during the three day ceremony.
 
The pilgrimage ends on September 9 with a feast to mark the birth of Mary.
 
(Tribune)
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