Culture day celebrated across Sindh
KARACHI: Activists of almost all social and political organisations, holding flags of different hues and colours forgot their traditional rivalries and differences for the day to partake in jubilation over and pride in their common culture as they celebrated Sindhi culture day across the province on Sunday.
Wearing Sindhi caps and ajraks, the merry crowds participated in rallies and danced to the tune of Sindhi folk songs in the streets and on roads in almost all big and small towns.
In Karachi, many political parties took out rallies, arranged song-and-dance programmes and exchanged Sindhi topi and ajrak to mark the day which was themed ‘culture defeats militancy’. The day has become an annual feature since it was first launched five years ago.
Pakistan Peoples Party chief Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari congratulated people on celebrating the day and called for protecting Sindh’s heritage.
A spokesman for the Muttahida Qaumi Movement said the party would play its role in protecting Sindh’s image as land of love, peace and forgiveness.
As the PPP and the MQM organised programmes in and outside their offices, PML-N and PML-F took out rallies from their provincial headquarters in the city.
Fountain Roundabout near the Governor’s House and Karachi Press Club were the two focal points where families and activists of various parties that often lambaste at each other on a variety of issues rubbed shoulders and danced to popular folk tunes.
“Ours was the dominant presence in the city and elsewhere in Sindh,” claimed Illahi Bakhsh Bikik, Karachi president of the Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz (JSQM).
PPP Karachi leader, Najmi Alam, said their largest gathering was held in and around the People’s Secretariat.
MQM’s spokesman Aminul Haq said they organised a programme at the party headquarters 90-Azizabad where party leaders, lawmakers and people from different strata of life exchanged greetings, ajrak and topi.
US consulate celebrates the day
The US Consul General Michael Dodman and the staff of consulate general Karachi celebrated the cultural day with a reception and Qawwali concert.
The American band Fanna-Fi-Allah performed Qawwali for a group of invited media and cultural guests.
HYDERABAD: Activists of almost all nationalist and political parties and civil society organisations took out rallies on foot and on vehicles mounted with loudspeakers playing Sindhi folk songs at full volume to celebrate the day.
Jubilant youths fired in the air and danced to the tune of folk songs on main roads and streets. Different organisations had set up camps along the roads and at roundabouts to welcome the revellers.
JSQM-B leader Dr Niaz Kalani, PPP’s Maula Bux Chandio and others shed light on the day’s significance while delivering speeches from a stage set up before the press club by a Sindhi media house.
Activists of Sindh United Party, Qaumi Awami Party, Sindh Taraqqi-pasand Party and MQM also took out rallies. Similar events were organised in Tando Allahyar, Jamshoro, Matiari and Tando Mohammad Khan.
BADIN: Rallies were taken out in Badin and its adjoining towns in which a large number of villagers on bullock carts, camel carts and horses also took part.
A rally was taken out in Badin in which activists of PPP, PML-F, PML-N, JSQM, MQM and people from all walks of life participated.
NAUSHAHRO FEROZE: Activists of JSQM, JSM, PPP-SB and JUI-F took out rallies in Naushahro Feroze and adjoining towns to mark the day. The participants were dancing to the tune of folk songs.
NAWABSHAH: A large number of people, including workers of different political and social organisations took out rallies which culminated outside the press club. The participants wearing Sindhi caps and ajrak were chanting slogans and dancing to the tune of folk songs.
SANGHAR: Wearing Sindhi caps and ajraks and dancing to the tune of the folk songs, activists of various organisations took out rallies in Sanghar and adjoining towns to mark the day.
DADU: Hundreds of people, including singers, students and activists of various political parties, participated in rallies wearing Sindhi caps and ajraks to celebrate the culture day.
Students held declamation contests and presented tableaus at their institutions to mark the day.
MIRPURKHAS: Various nationalist and political organisations celebrated the day by organising rallies and different other programmes.
MQM’s Mirpurkhas chapter organised a programme at its zonal office in which party activists and general public took part.
SHIKARPUR: Like other parts of the province, local chapters of various political parties took out rallies and organised cultural programmes to mark the day.
SUKKUR: Many social and political organisations organised rallies and cultural programmes in Sukkur and adjoining towns to celebrate the cultural day. MQM workers also celebrated the day at the party’s zonal office.
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