Zamir Sheikh
KHAIRPUR - The body of Shah Mardan Shah known as Pir Pagara was laid to rest at Darghah Pir Jo Goth near the grave of his grand father on Thursday.
A large number of his followers were present on the occasion.
The Namaz-i-Janaza was performed by his Murshid Pir Siraj Ahmed Gillani of Jangh Sharif.
The funeral prayers of Pir Pagara was attended among others by Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, Sindh Chief Minister Sayed Qaim Ali Shah, PML-N Sindh President Syed Ghous Ali Shah, Federal Minister Khursheed Shah, PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Sindh Home Minister Manzoor Wassan, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Rehmatullah Wardak, Siraj Durrani, MQM leaders Saghir Ahmed, Ashfaq Mangi, Elahi Bux Soomro, Pir Abdul Qadir Shah Jilani, Pir Ashiq Ali Shah, Ghaffar Mahar, Sardar Ali Gohar Khan Mahar, Jam Madad Ali, Jam Mashooq, Imtiaz Shaikh and others.
Earlier, the body of Pir Pagaro reached from London to Karachi.
Meanwhile, Pir Syed Sibghatullah Shah Rashidi commonly known as ‘Raja Sain’, the eldest son of late Pir Mardan Shah, has been made new spiritual leader of Hur Jamaat on Thursday.
Sibghatullah Shah Rashidi is the 8th Pir Pagara, was elected Pir Pagara in the meeting of Khalifas of Hur community after the death of his father Pir Mardan Shah.
The meeting of Khalifas of Hur Jamaat from Pakistan and India, held in Pir Jo Goth who also performed ‘Dastarbandi’ of the successor.
The Hurs are a Sufi Muslim community from Sindh.
The Pir Pagara, their spiritual leader, is appointed by the Caliphs of the Hurs. There are 16 Caliphs, out of which 15 are in Pakistan, while the 16th resides in India. The Caliphs are responsible for managing the affairs of the community.
The 55 years old Pir Syed Sibghatullah Shah Rashidi, was Sindh Minister thrice,and was away from politics for last more than a decade.
He has four sons Rashid, Abu Bakar, Usman and Umer.
It should be mentioned here that four sons of late Pir Pagara , Pir Sibghatullah Shah Rashidi, Pir Sadruddin Shah Rashidi, Pir Ali Gohar Shah Rashidi and Pir Hizbullah Shah Rashidi were candidates for becoming the new Pir but Syed Sibghatullah Shah Rashidi was named as the new Pir of the Jamaat.
With the sudden departure of Shah Mardan Shah Pir Pagara, apparently a political vacuum has been created in Sindh as there is no personality left in the province of his stature who can play the role of a mediator in case of confrontation between politicians and the establishment.
However, analysts who had opportunity to observe new Pir Pagara Syed Sibghatullah Shah Rashidi in his earlier capacity as Minister and politician are of the views that Pir Sibghatullah has many values in common with the late father Shah Mardan Shah.
Like his father he is also a man of contacts with different sections of society and is selective and choosy. Although from last couple years he had withdrawn himself from politics but had never delinked himself with politics and has watched political developments sitting on the sidelines.
They were of the opinion that with the passage of time, Raja Sain would shape up in the foot steps of his father and could be able to attain the same stature that his late father had in Sindh very soon.
PML-N President Mian Nawaz Sharif telephoned the newly elected Pir Pagaro-8 Raja Sain and congratulated him on his new responsibilities. He also condoled death of his father.