The 281st three-day Urs of the great Sindhi poet and Sufi saint Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai will commence on Tuesday, August 20 (the 14th of Safar) in Bhit Shah.
The Culture Department, Auqaf, district administration, police and local government departments have completed all arrangements.
According to the district information department Matiari, the culture department, under the supervision of provincial minister Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah has organized various events for the Urs, while the beautification and decoration work of the shrine under the provincial secretary and Chief Administrator Auqaf Farukh Shahzad Qureshi has also been completed.
Over 1600 police personnel including two SSPs, 16 DSPs, 12 SHOs, 26 inspectors will perform security duty for three days event under the supervision of SSP Matiari Syed Asghar Ali Shah. A central control room has been set up with 52 CCTV cameras, and six walk-through gates have been installed at the shrine. Moreover, Rangers personnel will also be on duty alongside the police.
On the first day, the provincial minister Culture Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah will inaugurate a Cultural Village in Bhit Shah, featuring over 40 stalls showcasing handicrafts, while more than 45 artists will perform in Shah jo Bagh (Shah’s Garden).
The culture department will host ‘Sughar Conference’ at the HT Surli Hall on the first day, in which around 250 experts will present their works on different genres of folk literature. The traditional Sindhi wrestling (Mallakhro) will be organized over the three days of the festival under the directives of Sindh Sports Minister Sardar Muhammad Bux Khan Mahar, where wrestlers from across the country, particularly from Sindh will join the event.
The agriculture department will conduct an agricultural exhibition displaying various crops and seeds, hosted by Additional Director Agriculture Zameer Surahio. This will introduce farmers to modern agricultural technologies. There will also be an exhibition of livestock, including competitions for milk-producing animals and displays of the best breeds.
On the second day, the culture department will hold a Latif Literary Conference featuring over 15 renowned researchers, writers and scholars presenting their papers. On all three days, from 7:30 pm till late night, the music of Shah Saeen will be presented, and over 120 artists and 40 instrumentalists from Sindh including Sanam Marvi, Tufail Sanjrani, Narudha Malini, Waqar Mallah, Shaman Mirali, Reshma Parveen, Ayaz Samo, Iqrar Waheed Ali, Zamin Ali and others will perform their art.
On the last day of the Urs, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah will visit the shrine of Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai and attend the closing ceremony of Urs Mubarak. During the event, those who research the poetry, art and thought of Shah and promote his message will be honored with the Latif Award.
Bilawal’s Message
Chairman of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, on Monday, emphasized the enduring relevance of Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai’s teachings. He said that the great Sufi saint and poet’s message of love, harmony, and universal brotherhood transcends time and continues to inspire the quest for a just and peaceful society.
In a statement released by the Media Cell Bilawal House on the occasion of the annual Urs of Shah Bhittai, Chairman PPP highlighted that Bhittai’s poetry not only captures the spiritual and cultural essence of Sindh but also serves as a guiding light, steering society toward the values of tolerance, inclusivity, and compassion.
He noted that Bhittai’s teachings stand as a timeless reminder of the need to resist oppression, champion social justice, and foster unity across all communities.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said, “On this revered occasion, I encourage everyone to delve into the teachings of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai and aspire to embody the principles of love, humility, and selflessness that he so profoundly articulated.
Together, let us strive to cultivate a society that embodies the ideals Shah Latif upheld – one where every individual, regardless of their background, is honored and valued.” The chairman PPP extended his heartiest greetings to the people of Sindh and all those who revere Bhittai’s teachings, emphasizing the importance of collective effort in building a society grounded in the values that Shah Latif cherished.
