LAHORE - Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif performed the annual 'ghusal' ceremony of Data Ganj Bakhsh shrine at a simple but impressive religious ceremony on Wednesday after Zohr prayers. The ceremony was attended by ulema, mashaikh, elite of the City and a large number of devotees. Prominent among them were Punjab Minister for Religious Affairs Haji Ihsanuddin Qureshi, Secretary Auqaf Khizer Hayat Gondal, Senator Ishaq Dar, Director General Religious Affairs Auqaf, Dr Tahir Raza Bokhari, Administrator Auqaf Data Darbar Rao Fazlur Rehman and members of Religious Purposes Committee Data Darbar. More than 80 maunds of scent of roses was used in the ghusal followed by laying of floral wreath by the Chief Minister. The Chief Minister and his companions were presented turbans at the shrine. During the ceremony verses of Holy Quran were recited by eminent Qari Ghulam Rasool. The ceremony concluded with offering of prayers for solidarity of the country, progress of the nation and liberation of Kashmir and Palestine. Tight security arrangements were made at the shrine. However, the sanctity of the serene ceremony was hurt when the people accompanying the chief minister including mediamen crashed the security gate inside the shrine to force their entry. A large number of PML-N workers also gathered outside the shrine creating mess at the entry gates.