Daily Times :  December 08, 2014

   
ISLAMABAD: Beneath the clear and starry winter skies of Islamabad, the beautiful, people from all walks of life celebrated the depth of Sindhi culture and diversity of Pakistani culture with zeal and fervor here on Saturday night.

Illuminated with colourful lights, lush green lawns of National Press Club (NPC) hosted hundreds of citizens, gathered there to attend a Sufi festival on the eve of Sindhi Culture Day. NPC and Indus Consortium jointly organized the event. Performers of Pakistan National Council of Arts and students of Federal Urdu University exhibited customs, cultures and traditions of Pakistani people living in different geographic regions.

Besides that, there was a musical treat for everyone, as the festival featured performances by folk artists from Sindh in particular and from all over the country in general. Ahmed Mughal, Marul-Sanwal group, Tahira Baloch, Sooraj Palijo, Faiza Fiaz and others mesmerised the audience with Sufi poetry of Shah Lateef Bhittai and other legendary lyricists of mystic poetry in their soothing voice. The musical performances of the artists compelled the audience, women in children forming a great majority of which, to indulge in mystic tunes.

Speaking on the occasion, Pakistan Senate’s Deputy Chairman Sabir Baloch said that the national integration is to be viewed as a sea into which the diverse rivers of culture flow and cultural integration can be achieved through reconciliation and mutual consensus of diverse groupings, religions and values.

“Wide access to the arts, culture, film, music and Pakistan’s rich heritage, including our languages, is vital to preserving and evolving our national identity and helping to promote Pakistan’s image abroad,” Sabir added.

Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists President Afzal Butt said that the National Culture Day would illuminate the intrinsic value of the arts, creativity and our dynamic nation’s intellectual achievements. It will demonstrate how culture can expand and enhance an inclusive society, by providing avenues for expression for our citizens.

National Press Club President Shahryar Khan said that the objective of organizing this event is to reinvigorating the national spirit, especially among the Pakistani youth, by demonstrating the colourful cultural patterns of our ancient yet beautiful homeland and also projecting soft image of Pakistan.

Karachi Press Club President Imtiaz Faran said that the culture is created by us and defines us. It is the embodiment of the distinctive values, traditions and beliefs that make being Pakistani in the 21st century unique, democratic, diverse, adaptive and grounded in one of the world’s oldest living civilisations. Indus Consortium National Coordinator Hussain Jarwar, presented a vision of a culture-led economy that was both proudly Pakistani and “open to the world”. He emphasized upon the contribution that cultural and creative industries can make to innovation and national productivity. “What we need to make sure is that Pakistani creativity thrives in the digitally enabled 21st century, by supporting innovation, the development of new creative content, knowledge and creative industries,” Hussain elaborated.

Naseer Memon of SPO said that the problem of integration is not unique to Pakistan, as a large number of new nations have faced the monstrous problem of integrating the nation from plenty of diversities and separate, often conflicting interest. “The socio-economical development of Pakistan is dependent on its cultural unity and the ability to restrain an amazing diversity within itself,” he opined.

Indus Consortium Ashok Lilani said that it needs to be ensured that government support reflects the diversity of Pakistan and that all citizens, wherever they live, whatever their background or circumstances, have a right to shape our cultural identity and its expression.