LAHORE: A festival for gypsies was organised on Tuesday at the Children’s Library Complex by Godh, with the theme of the year ‘Identity is our right’, which was also discussed at a conference.

Writer Saeed Ahmed spoke about identity and its crisis in the country. He said the non-issuance of computerised national identity cards (CNICs) to gypsies was causing problems for the community as well as the system.

He said if a member of gypsy community had to visit a place like a hospital, he or she could not produce the CNIC.

He said even from the government’s point of view it was important to gather birth and death data of the community as its number had considerably grown in the country.

Also, he said, under the constitution if someone was born in Pakistan, he or she should be considered part of the country and could not be ignored.

Spain had accepted its gypsies as part of their country after many decades, and it was time that Pakistan should do the same.

Because of a lack of identity, the gypsies had become aimless; their children could not receive proper education and there were no health and safety measures in place for them.

Mr Ahmad lamented the gypsies were also often disregarded as part of the society, saying this should also change.

He said the Punjab government has set-up a special mobile unit of Nadra where gypsies could apply for CNICs. A birth registration desk was also set up by the city district government for the purpose, he added.

Meanwhile, the festival featured stalls displaying various arts and crafts practiced by the gypsy community.

A drug camp was also set up at the venue, offering treatment and rehabilitation to the gypsy community members hooked to drugs like opium and charas (hash). According to the camp officials, drug use was common among the community members.

Folk singers including Krishan Lal Bheel from Cholistan, Sain Iqbal Group, Yousuf Punjabi and others performed on the occasion. A special tribute was also paid to late folk singer Reshman.