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| September 28, 2005 | Wednesday | Sha'aban 23, 1426 |
Tourism fair opens amid tight security
LAHORE, Sept 27: Unprecedented security marred the inaugural ceremony of the World Tourism Day Fair at the Alhamra Cultural Complex, Ferozpur Road, on Tuesday.
Governor Khalid Maqbool formally inaugurated the six-day festival an hour or so late from the scheduled time of 6.30pm.
The police around the complex continued misbehaving with the visitors while plainclothesmen inside hurled their sticks at people, forcing them to go to the open air theatre where singer Ali Azmat was performing.
Some 60 or so motorcycles and over a dozen cars were removed from near the main entrance to the complex with the help of a lifter.
Five motorcycles, dumped outside the hockey stadium with the help of a lifter, were badly damaged. The registration numbers of the motorcycles were LXG-9235, LZT-6124, LHS-5143, LOG-91 and LRH-776. The cars were, however, placed near the football stadium.
A traffic sub-inspector sitting in a double-cabin (LXE-2180) said the motorcycles and cars were removed on the instructions of Inspector Majid Pehalwan.
When attention of the governor was drawn towards the rude behaviour of the police, he said: “Forget such things and enjoy the festival.”
Tourism Development Corporation of Punjab Managing Director Irfan Ali said security was necessary.
The fair has around 100 stalls, exhibiting local handicrafts and dresses, besides literature on tourists sites.
China, Iran, Turkey, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Indonesia, Turkey, Philippines, Thailand and the US had also set up stalls.
The Iranian stall was the biggest, also offering dry fruits and sweets, burqa and other dresses, handicrafts, books, films and dramas on CDs, paintings made by special children while China had displayed a few handicrafts and women’s traditional dresses.
The small industries corporations of the Punjab, Sindh and AJK had also exhibited handicrafts and dresses.
Cultural troupes from Iran, Indonesia and Philippines will perform during the festival and a Qawali night will also be organized.
An exhibition of paintings and photographs is also part of the mela which will continue till Oct 2.
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