21 hours ago
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Bilawal attends concluding ceremony of Urs of Bhittai
HYDERABAD: Chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, attended the concluding ceremony of the 282nd annual Urs of the great Sufi poet, Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai (RA).
On the occasion, he visited the shrine, offered Fateha, and laid a ceremonial Chaadar.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also visited the shrine of Hazrat Shah Habib, the father of Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai (RA), where he offered Fateha, and later listened to Shah Jo Raag in the courtyard of the shrine.
Afterwards, Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari participated as the chief guest in the awards ceremony held at the HT Sorly Hall in Bhitt Shah, where he distributed awards to individuals who had shown outstanding performance in various fields.
Addressing the ceremony, he said it was an honour for him that his family has, for generations, maintained devotion to the shrine of Bhitt Shah. He added that Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, and President Asif Ali Zardari have all been followers of Shah Latif's message.
Bilawal said Pakistan has never initiated a war but has always ended it.
He further stated that 'every citizen and youth of the country defended the homeland by taking the frontline on social media.'
He said 'India attacked our water and the Indus River to target our centuries-old history and culture, but we responded to Modi's threats before the entire world.'
Bilawal made it clear that 'while we desire peace, if war is imposed upon us, its declaration will be made from the land of Shah Latif.'
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, addressing the ceremony, said that Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari's participation was a matter of great joy for them. He said 'this relationship is historic — 64 years ago, Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto came here and laid the foundation of the Cultural Centre, while Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto attended the 250th Urs along with her father and delivered a historic speech in Sindhi.
Recalling excerpts from that speech, the CM said 'Mohtarma urged the youth towards education and hard work and had the Ganj Sharif published at her own expense and sent to all universities.' Syed Murad Ali Shah said Shaheed Mohtarma had expressed the wish to establish a Centre of Excellence, which President Asif Ali Zardari fulfilled in the form of the Sufi University.
He further said 'this year's Independence Day holds a special significance because Pakistan, through Bunyan al-Marsoos, defeated India, and this victory is being celebrated under the title Battle for Truth, in which the Urs of Shah Latif has also been adorned in the same spirit.'
At the concluding ceremony, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari presented awards to Dr Ali Akbar Dhakan (for the English translation of Shah Latif's poetry), the best Shah jo Raagi Haji Sher Muhammad Nizamani, best singer Mumtaz Lashari, best storyteller (Sugharr) Faqir Fayaz Hussain Mahesar, best instrumentalist Shahid Ali, best composer Faqir Ghulam Rasool, and folk singers Mai Sanon and Mai Sarhai. Posthumous Latif Awards were also conferred on Shams-ul-Ulama Mirza Qaleech Baig and Ustad Gulzar Ali Khan.
On the occasion, Sindh CM Syed Murad Ali Shah, Member National Assembly Makhdoom Jamil-uz-Zaman, and Provincial Minister for Culture Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah were also present.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
