PESHAWAR: Folk singers and performers from Chitral captivated audience at a cultural event at the Nishtar Hall here on Sunday. The directorate of culture organised the Chitral Cultural Night attended by large number of music lovers, students and Peshawar-based Chitrali families.

Khalid Masood, a former PTI provincial chief, was the chief guest, while former Darosh nazim Sartaj Khan presided over the event.

They said that local culture needed to be promoted to encourage cultural diversity. They said Chitral was rich in cultural diversity as people spoke different languages.

Young Chitralis turned to dance on Chitrali songs while people of all age groups hailing from the district participated in the cultural night.

Salam Gul, a resident of Chitral, told Dawn that he enjoyed the cultural night, adding for the first time residents of Chitral showed up at an event organised to entertain them. “I understand Urdu and Pashto languages but listening to songs in my own mother tongue gave me a lot of joy. I think other Chitralis too enjoyed the show with great interest,” Gul said.

The event was opened with beautiful traditional Chitrali dance in which popular artistes Shujaul Haq, Abdul Aziz, Sultan Murad Khiali and Saifuddin performed. Chitrali folk singers sang popular numbers and charged the participants with their lively performance.

Noted comedians Subedar Taukal Khan and Munwar Shah Rangeen presented hilarious skits. Popular instrumentalists Manzoor Ahmad, Azam and Ahmad Zar played charming tunes on Chitrali sitar and clarinet.

Published in Dawn, January 23rd, 2017