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Cultural Festivals

Pak Ambassador Meets | Minister of Culture Of Belarus

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BELARUS: Ambassador of Pakistan to Belarus Mr. Sajjad Haider Khan held a meeting with H.E. Mr. Anatoly Markevich, Minister of Culture of the Republic of Belarus. The meeting was also attended by Ms. Viktoria Ratobylskaya, Head of the International Cooperation and Information Management Department of the Ministry.

Underscoring the diversity of culture, ethnicity, and religion of Pakistan, which has been a melting pot of civilizations for thousands of years, Ambassador Sajjad highlighted the significance of promoting people-to-people contact for the creation of greater awareness in the general public.

The Minister welcomed the initiative, highlighted the importance of cultural collaboration, and assured to provide required support for meaningful engagement. He particularly wished to see closer cooperation between the cinematographers of the two countries.

The two sides reaffirmed the mutual intention to bolster Pakistan-Belarus relations with a focus on cooperation in culture. Series of activities will be planned to bolster full spectrum cultural cooperation between the two friendly countries.

The Winners Awarded | First Derajat Off-Road Jeep Challenge Race Concludes

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PESHAWAR: A top official said on Monday, March 29, that more cultural festivals and traditional games would be organized in Dera Ismail Khan to attract domestic and foreign tourists to the area and boost tourism in the province.

Speaking at the awards distribution ceremony of the first Derajat off-road jeep and motorcycle challenge race, Secretary Sports, Tourism, Archaeology, Culture, Museums, and Youth Affairs Department Abid Majeed said that the second leg of Derajat Festival was postponed owing to the third wave of Covid-19 pandemic.

He said that the cultural festival would now be held in the upcoming September.

“The government is taking tangible steps for the promotion of local cultures, traditional games, and boosting tourism in every nook and corner of the province to lure more tourists and visitors,” the official said, adding that it would help create employment opportunities for the local populace as well.

Federal Minister Ali Amin Gandapur was the chief guest at the concluding ceremony.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority (KPCTA), Frontier 4×4 Club, and Dera Ismail Khan District administration had jointly organized the three-day event.

Sahibzada Sultan was declared the top winner of Derajat off-road jeep challenge race followed by Zain Mahmood and Nadir Magsi.

In the Women’s category, Tushna Patel clinched the first position while Maheem Sheraz stood second and Salma Marwat third.

Trophies, medals, and cash prizes were given away to the positions of all categories.

Twenty-eight racers, including Jaffar Magsi, Nadir Magsi, Babar Khan, Salma Khan Marwat, Maheem Sheraz, Laila Akhunzada, Irshad Kakakhel, Zain Mahmood, Raza Saeed, Asif Fazal Chaudhry, Faisal Khan Shadi, Bewarigh Mazari, Awais Khakwani, Malik Qadir Nawaz, Shahab Haider, Asad Khan, Nauman Saranjam Khan, Saud Majeed, Umar Iqbal Kanju, Sheryar Khan, Zafar Khan Baloch, Nasir Khan, Gohar Sangi, Tushna Patel, Jamila and others participated in the pre-peered category and covered 118 kilometers track from Yarak to Gloti.

The racers performed well during the 118km race on the track from Yarak to Gloti after passing through Paniala, Rahmanikhel, and Abdulkhel.

Twenty-nine drivers participated in the stock category while 22 racers performed in the professional pre-peered category.

Tourist Information Desk | KP-CTA Set Up At Saidu Sharif Airport

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PESHAWAR: The tourist information desk set up by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism (KPCTA) at the Saidu Sharif Airport was inaugurated on Friday to facilitate tourists during their visit to the Swat valley or elsewhere in Malakand Division.

Chief Minister Mahmood Khan inaugurated the tourist information desk at the Saidu Sharif Airport.

Federal Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan, Federal Minister for Communications Murad Saeed, Chief Executive Officer PIA Arshad Malik, Commissioner Malakand Division Zaheerul Islam, Deputy Commissioner Swat Junaid Khan, and officials of the Tourism Department accompanied the chief minister.

The KPCTA displayed brochures, banners, posters, booklets, and pamphlets about the scenic spots, roads leading to the tourist destinations, hotels, hospitals, heritage sites, and restaurants so the tourists and visitors could obtain required information at the tourist desk before departing to a specific tourist attraction in Swat and Malakand.

The Saidu Sharif Airport was reopened after 17 years, which would open up the entire Malakand Division especially Swat valley for tourism, trade, and investment.

Commercial flights would help generate job opportunities for thousands of people besides bolstering tourism in the area.

Cooking Competition Concludes | KP Officials Award Winner Teams

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PESHAWAR: Secretary Sports, Tourism, Archaeology, Culture, Museums, and Youth Affairs Department Abid Majeed on Saturday, March 20, said that the hospitality sector played a pivotal role in the promotion of the tourism industry, adding that more events would be arranged to encourage the youth of the province.

Speaking at a ceremony held in connection with the awards and prize distribution among the winning teams of the four-day cooking skills competition at Peshawar Services Club, he said that the tourism industry contributed 1.5 shares to the GDP and the hospitality and food sector was playing an important role in this contribution.

“There is a great scope in the hospitality sector as a number of excelling youth were offered jobs and internship opportunities in the cooking field at this event,” the secretary said, adding that it was an ideal platform for the cooking talents to exhibit their skills and promote the hospitality sector in the province.

Additional Secretary Tashfeen, Chief Planning Officer Asif Shahab, Director Youth Affairs Salim Jan, Director Tourism Merged Districts Ishtiaq Khan, Director Directorate of Tourist Services Ghulam Said, and other stakeholders were present as well.

Abid Majeed said that more such events would be arranged to further polish the cooking and other skills of the youth so they could get employment in the country and abroad.

It would, he said, pave the way for the government, industries, and businessmen to jointly devise a strategy to provide employment to the youth on the basis of their skills and talents.

Organized by the Directorate of Youth Affairs under the aegis of Sports, Tourism, Archaeology, Culture, Museums, and Youth Affairs Department, the activity was aimed at providing an opportunity to the youth to exhibit their cooking skills and come forward to further excel in this field and promote the hospitality sector in the province as well.

Over 70 male and female chefs from Peshawar, Swat, Malakand, Chitral, Abbottabad, Battagram, Orakzai, Khyber Mardan, Kohat, Charsadda districts, and other parts of the province participated in the cooking skills competition.

In the grand finale, Beenish and Abbas clinched first position, Sharif and Huraira second, Saad Illahi and Azan Zia third, Shadab and Dua fourth, and Abu-Bakr grabbed the fifth position.

Directorate of Youth Affairs gave away commendation certificates and prizes while five stars hotels offered jobs and internships to the excelling chefs.

Dr. Zaheer Anjum, assistant professor Home Economics College, Peshawar, University of Peshawar, Muneeba Usman, professional chef trainer, William Asghar, executive chef Peshawar Services Club, performed as judges.

42nd Anniversary of Iranian Revolution | Pak-Iran Friendship Wall inaugurated In Peshawar

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PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Culture Shaukat Yousafzai on Wednesday said that Pakistan and Iran had strong religious and cultural bonds and the friendship between the two neighbouring countries was exemplary.

Speaking as chief guest at an exhibition held in connection with the 42nd anniversary of Islamic Revolution of Iran at Khana-e-Farhang Iran in Peshawar, the minister said that inaugurating Pak-Iran Friendship Wall was a good step towards further cementing the relations between the two brotherly countries.

Iranian Consular General in Peshawar, Hamid Raza, Iranian Cultural Centre Director Mahran Sikandaryan, Director General Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority (KPCTA) Kamran Ahmad Afridi and others were also present on the occasion.

The two countries, the minister added, had many similarities in their cultures, traditions, heritage and history.

He said that besides culture, Pakistan and Iran could also boost trade through people to people contacts.

Shaukat Yousafzai said that launching cultural exchange programmes for the youth of two countries would pave the way to further promote the relationship.

On this occasion, Iranian Consular General Hamid Raza asked the minister to help arrange cultural exhibitions and programmes at Nishtar Hall and elsewhere in the province to promote the cultures of two friendly countries.

Iranian cultural items, handicrafts, photo show of cultural and tourism potential, Iranian cultural film were displayed at the exhibition.

Earlier, the minister also inaugurated Pak-Iran Friendship Wall.

Baloch Culture Day | Celebrations All Around Balochistan

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QUETTA: Men, women and children dressed in their ethnic dress and celebrated Baloch Culture Day with great fervor & zeal across the province on Thursday, March 2.

Many musical, cultural and literary functions and ceremonies to mark the culture day, were organized across Balochistan including Gwadar, Panjgur, Kharan, Chagai, Dalbandin, Nushki, Kalat, Khuzdar, Mastung, Bolan, Sibi, Nasirabad, Jaffarabad and other respective areas.

An impressive event was held at Balochistan Press Club in which all aspects of life in Balochistan were highlighted. Cultural stalls displaying Baloch cuisine, embroidery among others were also set up.

Moreover a shopping mall in Quetta was decorated and many families were seen enjoying the day in their cultural dresses.

The Balochistan Assembly also marked the day as many politicians including provincial Minister of Health Rahmat Saleh Baloch showed up dressed in ethnic attire.

The event highlighted the significance of different elements of Baloch culture including its heritage, embroidery designs and cuisine.

Stalls were set up to allow people to get a real taste of the rich Baloch culture with mouth-watering Sajji on one side and stalls on archeological sites on the other. Folk singers also mesmerised the guests with their vocals.

Balochistan Home Minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti said that Baloch nation has a rich culture and language which we are promoting with marking Baloch Culture Day.

These views were expressed by Mir Sarfaraz Bugti, during ceremony of Baloch Culture Day at Millennium Mall.

He said that the culture Day provides an opportunity of sharing happiness and having get together, adding, that culture is a key factor which plays a pivotal role in the development of any people.

He said that Baloch people respect women, guests and elders during war because of their rich culture.

the Sibi Mela (festival) began with fanfare and pomp and show in Balochistan’s historical district of Sibi on Thursday.

The annual fair in Sibi is certainly a factual reflection of ancient cultures of the province and people living here for centuries. This event has been helpful to create harmony, national cohesion and love among people of the province and country at large on one side, while on the other side, it has also been financially beneficial in promoting the business of livestock and agriculture.

The four-day Sibi Mela from March 2-5 started at Sardar Chakar Khan Stadium Sibi. Balochistan Minister for Agriculture Sardar Aslam Bizenjo was the chief guest of the opening event.