Haridwar: A group of 107 pilgrims from Pakistan arrived in Haridwar on Tuesday for the 755th annual Urs held at the Piran Kaliyar Dargah.
The Pakistani pilgrims reached Roorkee railway station in Haridwar by the Lahori Express and were given a warm reception by locals.
Amidst tight security, the police administration and Government of Railway (GRP) Police then sent the pilgrims to the Piran Kaliyar Dargah by roadway buses.
Superintendent of Police GRP Railways Arun Bharti told ANI, "At present, a total of 107 pilgrims from Pakistan have arrived here to participate in the annual Urs, keeping the sensitivity in mind, we have deployed a police force."
"We made complete security arrangements for their arrival. They have come here for five days and will return on October 1. We have made tight security arrangements for their departure as well," he added.
The accommodation and food arrangements for the Pakistani pilgrims have been made at Sabri Guest House. Pakistani pilgrims will stay in Piran Kaliyar for 5 days and after that, they will offer Chadar Poshi at the Sabir Pak Dargah.
From a security point of view, the intelligence department and police administration will keep a check on the pilgrims. Speaking to ANI Mohammad Irfan, a Pakistani pilgrim said, "It feels good to be visiting India. We have come here for a 5-day visit to the 755th annual Urs at the Piran Kaliyar Dargah. The Government of India has cooperated very well, we feel as if we have landed on the soil of our own Lahore, Pakistan."
"We have come to present the chadar at the Dargah of Sabir Pak and we will stay here for 5 days. We appeal to the Prime Ministers of both countries to make the process of visa easier so that people from both India and Pakistan could visit each other and benefit from it," said Iqbal Fateh, another Pakistani pilgrim.
The ‘Dargah’ of Hazrat Makhdum Allauddin Ali Ahamed ‘Sabir’ on the outskirts of Roorkee town is situated towards the south of Haridwar. This place is one of the living examples of unity between the Hindu and Muslim religions.
Famed for its mystical powers, the Piran Kaliyar Dargah is visited by millions of devotees from all religions from India and abroad.
The Urs is celebrated at this Dargah every year, from the first day of sighting the moon to the sixteenth day during the Rabeeull month of the Islamic calendar. —ANI
