LAHORE - Rafi Peer Theatre Workshop (RPTW) will organise the 8th International Mystic Music Sufi Festival starting from Thursday at Peerus Cafe. As many as 400 performers from Afghanistan, India, Germany and Pakistan will participate in the event. Artists from all the four provinces of the country will perform in the event. The performers will present folk music, kalaams and qawalis. The famous names of the performers include Sain Zahoor, Papu Sain, Arif Lohar, Goonga and Abida Parveen. Talking to a press conference, RPTW Chairman Faizaan Peerzada said that financial crisis and the security situation were the major hurdles in holding such festivals. He expressed sorrow that promoting such soft culture perhaps had not been government priority, as it never released funds for such events. He said that the Royal Norwegian Embassy has given financial support to organise the event. Highlighting a peculiar feature of the Sufi music festival, Peerzada said that artists would use only acoustic instruments and no electrical, western instrument would be played throughout the even.