MARDAN, May 20: A three-day spring peace festival concluded here on Sunday with the message to uproot militancy from the society and restore normalcy in parts of the Pakhtun region as well as the country.

The festival was organised by local traders led by Lal Mohammad Toru and Pir Iftikhar in association with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Tourism Corporation at the Mardan Sports Complex.

Traders hailing from Multan, Lahore, Hyderabad, Faisalabad, Haripur, D.I. Khan, Peshawar, Charsadda, Shabqadar and Mardan had set up nearly 100 stalls of different items.A magic show, cricket, kite-flying and many other recreational games were arranged for children. Besides, musical show, food street, art and traditional meals also featured in the festival.

Women and children in large numbers thronged the peace festival and were seen taking keen interest while visiting different stalls of the festival.

On the concluding day, the Awami National Party Leader and Senator Azam Khan Hoti and MNA Himayat Ullah Mayar visited the spring peace festival and inspected the stalls.

Mr Azam Hoti appreciated the organisers for arranging such a beautiful festival and termed it essential for boosting business activities in the region.

WORKSHOP: Participants at a workshop on Sunday urged practical steps for eradicating violence and torture in the society.

The workshop “sensitisation of media personnel on the issue of torture” was organised by NGOs, Individualland Pakistan and the Foundation of Open Society Institute, at the Mardan Press Club.

More than 20 representatives of different media organisations attended the workshop. Mr. Shaukat Ali Ashraf, representative of Individualland Pakistan, highlighted the efforts made by media and civil society organisations to create awareness in the society and curb violence and torture.

The speakers said solid steps should be taken by the concerned quarters to curb the rising incidents of violence and torture.

MAUSOLEUMS SECURITY: Condemning the bomb explosions at the tomb of renowned poet and nationalist leader Ajmal Khattak, famous Pashto poet Ms Haseena Gul has said that the literary circles should organise a movement to demand security and protection at the mausoleums of poets in the province.

Talking to Dawn on Sunday, Ms Gul said the literary circles should have organised a candle-light vigil at the site to condemn the bombing of Ajmal Khattak’s mausoleum. She said the associations of writers and poets should organise meetings to demand security at the tombs of poets.