Sindh Culture Day celebrated with zeal, zest

KARACHI The people of Sindh on Saturday celebrated Sindh Culture Day across the province with fervour and zeal. The colourful activities including rallies were organised by political parties, civil society organisations, schoolchildren, wearing Sindhi Topi and Ajrak to mark the Sindhi culture in Karachi and other cities and towns of the province. According to details gathered by TheNation, the camps were set up outside the Karachi Press Club by different media houses, where caravans of political parties including PPP, Awami Tehreek, MQM, ANP, Sindh Tarqi Passand Party, Jeay Sindh Qaumi Muhaz, Sindhiani Tehreek, Awami Jamhori Party, Pakistan Peoples Party (Shaheed Bhutto) and others civil society activists gathered. The city witnessed hub of activities to mark Sindhi culture as peoples wearing Sindhi Ajrak and Sindhi Topi were enjoyed on Sindhi songs, which spread message of love with our motherland, Sindh. The peoples from all walks of life including elders, youths, women, girls, children-gathered at Karachi Press Club and participated in culture day, where artists including Shazia Khushak and others sung the songs of love with province of Sindh. A large numbers of women and children wearing Sindhi dresses participated in the cultural activities. The PPP-led coalition government of Sindh already announced its support to the call of Sindh Culture Day, declaring the December 4, 2010 as holiday in all the government and autonomous bodies to mark the day. The ruling PPP set up its camp at Peoples Secretariat Karachi, where workers from different parts of city reached in caravans, while a rally also taken out which ended in front of Sindh Assembly building where party leaders addressed to the participants. Advisor to Sindh Chief Minister on Information Department Ms. Sharmila Farooqui, President PPP Karachi Najmi Aalam, General Secretary Saeed Ghani and others were also present on the occasion. Majority of the participants was wearing national dress, Shalwar-Kameez, besides Sindhi Topi and Ajrak. They were holding flags and banners and chanting different slogans. They danced on the loud music and Sindhi songs. Deputy Speaker Sindh Assembly, Shehla Raza while expressing love for all cultures of the country, said on the occasion that Sindhi people are the guardians of the culture and traditions of the province. Besides a grand gathering organized by MQM at its headquarter Nine Zero in which party leaders and artists participated, a caravan of MQM led by Khowaja Izhar Ul Hassan reached Karachi Press Club to celebrate culture day. Provincial Minister Haji Muzaffar Shajra said that the traditions of Sindh are 5,000 years old and no one can destroy them. ANP Sindh President, Shahi Syed stated that to celebrate the Sindhi Topi and Ajrak Day is like the day of Eid and said that only those people should come in Sindh who love it. Fishermen community also celebrated the culture day with enthusiasm. Chairman Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum Muhammad Ali Shah said that Sindhi Topi is the cultural identity of Sindhi people and no criticism would be tolerated against it. Our staff reporter from Khairpur adds: The Cultural Day was celebrated in all cities; villages of eight talukas of Khairpur district with full cultural tradition on Saturday. Over hundreds of rallies and ceremonies were held at various parts of district, Workers of different political parties including PPP, PLM-N, Jeay Sindh, STP, Social, Addabi and other Tanzeems were wear Sindhi Ajrak, Topi. While all schools children also walked in streets and held ceremonies in their schools to aware about the Sindh culture and held tableau, fun fair shows, talent shows and high lighted the Sindhi cultures, while a big rely of hundreds women, girls also march passed on roads of the city. A big ceremony of Sindh Cultural Day was held at Chattri Chowk which addressed among others by Nazar Muhammad Ghaho, Political Secretary to CM, President Anjuman Tajran Khairpur Qutubuddin Shaikh and others highlighted about the culture day, tradition of Sindh. Sikander B Khoso from Jacobabad adds: The people of Jacobabad observed the Sindh Cultural Day on Saturday. The activists of PPP led by Mir Aijaz Hussain Jakhrani Federal Minister for Sports and Moula Bux Khoso, APCA leader Abdul Qudoos Afridi, Jamot Qaumi Movements leader Nasir Thahim, Brohi Ithads leader Arif Brohi, MQMs leader Anwar Siyal, MMLs leader Mir Asghar Khan Panhwar, PML-N, JSQM Dr Aslam Abbasi arranged different cultural shows. General public and workers of political parties took out rallies, carrying party flags in their hands and wearing Sindhi Topi and Ajrak. Soomro Shabir while addressing the rally said that it was our duty to promote the 5000 years old cultures values. They said that Sindh was land of peace and love. PPI adds: A report from Kot Ghulam Muhammad town of district Mirpur Khas said a colourful ceremony was organised at Government Girls high school wherein the teachers and students wore Ajrak. The students presented tableau highlighting the 5000-year old civilisation of Sindh. Similar function was also organised at government boys high school where a rally, led by the headmaster Syed Yousuf Shah and other teachers, was taken out. Another rally was taken out in the town which after marching through different roads ended at national press club. Ayaz alias Raju and others led the rally. The participants of rally wore Sindhi caps and Ajrak. In Sehwan, a number of rallies were taken out to mark the Culture Day. The Noohani community, Sindh Dost Ittehad, Sindh United Party, Jeeay Sindh Mahaz, Jeeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz, PPP-Shaheed Bhutto and other organizations organized the rallies.