WEBDESK: Residents of Lahore will enjoy a long weekend, with a local public holiday announced on 15 August 2025 for the Urs of Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh.
The district administration has issued a notification announcing the holiday, which comes a day after the nationwide Independence Day holiday on 14 August. With the weekend following, Lahorites will have a four-day break.
The 982nd annual Urs of Hazrat Ali Hujwiri, known as Data Ganj Bakhsh, began today at Data Darbar in Lahore. The three-day event runs from 13 to 15 August and is expected to draw thousands of devotees from across Pakistan.
Celebrations include Qirat, Naat recitations, and Sama (Sufi music) gatherings. Traditional langar and milk stalls have been set up. Vendors selling sweets and religious items have filled the streets around the shrine.
Processions of pilgrims, accompanied in most cases by religious leaders and Gaddi Nasheens, are converging on the shrine. They walk to the rhythm of drums, repeat naats and hymns.
Police have put in place strict security arrangements. DIG Operations Faisal Kamran visited the shrine’s surroundings and checked entry and exit routes for visitors. He directed officers to tighten safety measures further.
Several roads leading to Data Darbar have been sealed with containers and barbed wire, including routes from Town Hall, Bilal Ganj, and Karbala Gamay Shah. Access is still available for pedestrians and motorcyclists.
According to the Punjab government, the holiday will apply to departments such as MCL, LDA, TEPA, WASA, PHA, Walled City Authority, RUDA, and LWMC zones. However, the Civil Secretariat and its sub-offices will remain open.
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