HYDERABAD: Several hundred visitors, mostly students of universities, enjoyed various activities at three-day Lahooti Melo 2020 titled ‘Eco, Not Ego’ that got under way at a ground in Mehran University of Engineering and Technology (MUET), Jam­shoro, on Friday evening.

The carnival started with kalam (poetic work) of great Sufi poet Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai. Various stalls were set up which put on display food items, plants, embroidered dresses, traditional ornaments and art. Departments of environment and livestock had also set up stalls while a tent city of around 30 tents had been erected to provide temporary accommodation to students coming from universities in Sindh and Punjab.

Poets presented their latest kalam in mushaira and singers entertained audiences with live performance at musical night.

Sindh Minister for Culture Sardar Ali Shah lauded efforts of festival organiser Saif Samejo and said that such carnivals should be organised regularly to create a congenial atmosphere in universities.

He said that poetic work of Shah Latif was being promoted and said the word Lahooti should not be taken in its literal meaning. It should be understood as representing awareness and philosophy of love. The organiser had country, four seasons and season of love, Valentine Day in his mind while arranging the event, he said.

He said that youths must enjoy the festival and Sindh culture department always played its role in encouraging such activities and youths who loved their country unconditionally.

Consul General of Italy in Karachi Anna Ruffino said that colourful cultural activities provided much relief and amusement while people who loved their culture impressed her greatly.

She said that she would never forget this festival.

“We have forgotten real aim of our life while the Lahooti Sufis seem busy going to their beloved,” said Sindh Minister for Livestock Abdul Bari Pitafi.

He said that he saw the festival as an environmental programme and he believed representatives of environment department should have attended it and participated in it.

Renowned town planner Arif Hasan said that population boost had caused environmental issues as people were fast migrating from villages to cities in pursuit of education, employment, food and career. He called for focusing on environmental hazards which had become a major problem.

Arts Council of Pakistan, Karachi president Mohammad Ahmed Shah, Pakistan office of Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedoms head Birgit Lamm, MUET Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Mohammad Aslam Uqaili, PPP MPA Qasim Soomro and others stressed the need for holding such programmes on a regular basis to create a healthy environment and inculcate aesthetic and artistic skills in youths.

Published in Dawn, February 15th, 2020