Sindh govt cancels Lal Shahbaz Qalandar's urs due to coronavirus outbreak.

KARACHI -- The provincial government on Thursday decided to cancel the annual urs of Sufi saint Lal Shahbaz Qalandar, scheduled for April 12.

Officials in the Auqaf Department told media that the decision was made due to the coronavirus outbreak in the country.

As per the Islamic calendar, the three days of festivities at the shrine of Sufi saint Usman Marwandi - popularly known as Lal Shahbaz Qalander - starts from Shaban 18. Thousands from all over Pakistan flock to the shrine to attend the urs.

'Daily, 8,000 to 10,000 people visit the shrine. During the annual urs, the number of visitors climbs to around 800,000 to one million during the three days festivities,' the official in Aufaq Department said, adding that the shrine is now closed following Sindh government's decision about the lockdown in the province.

When contacted, the Chief Administrator Aufaq Department Munwar Ali Mahesar also confirmed the news about the cancellation of the...