MUZAFFARABAD: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government would hold a three-day ‘Eid Festival’ in Muzaffarabad later this month to provide entertainment and knowledge to local residents and tourists from other parts of the country, an official said on Friday.

Ms Midhat Shahzad, secretary tourism and archaeology, told reporters that apart from sports, cultural and literary activities, a special tourist bus service would also be run in the city during the three days of festival from April 27 to April 29 to facilitate tourists to acquaint themselves with the cultural and historic heritage of the town founded by Sultan Muzaffar Khan in the middle of 17th century.

After attending a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sardar Tanveer Ilyas, Ms Shahzad said the festival was part of the earnest efforts of the present government to turn the liberated territory into a tourist hub.

“We have been directed by the prime minister to spare no effort to thoroughly exploit the rich tourism potential of our state because he believes that this can change the lot of local communities in a short span of time,” she said

Of the upcoming festival, she claimed that it would be full of entertainment for all and sundry and would not only promote tourism but also local arts, crafts and culture.

Giving details, she said the opening ceremony would be held at 10am on April 27 in Muzaffarabad’s spectacular Cricket Stadium, which includes tableaus, martial arts, scouting activities and performance by police band and local and national artists as its main features.

Local and national flyers and pilots would exhibit their skills in paragliding and motor gliding throughout the festival at the 9,500 feet high Pir Chinasi peak and Muzaffarabad airport and white water rafting would be done in Jhelum River on April 28, she said.

Ms Shahzad said traditional singers would also perform in Kashmiri, Pahari, Punjabi, Gojri, Shina and Balti, from 7pm to 10pm on April 27 at the Stadium, where stalls would offer a variety of food to satiate the taste buds of visitors throughout the festival.

The tourism secretary said that an exhibition of flowers would also be organised in Jalalabad Garden, located in the proximity of the cricket stadium.

In order to draw attention of the young generation towards the significance of reading, a book-exhibition would also be held in the stadium during the festival, she said.

She informed that exhibition cricket matches would be played in cricket stadium and a floodlight football tournament would be held in K H Khurshid football stadium in the old part of the city.

Ms Shahzad informed that the closing ceremony of the festival would be held at the airport during the day and a “Sufi night” would be held at cricket stadium Muzaffarabad the same night.

“I invite people from other parts of the country to plan their trip to Muzaffarabad between the festival dates for a lot of fun, entertainment and amusement,” she said, adding, some identical events would also be held at divisional headquarters Rawalakot and Mirpur.

Published in Dawn, April 9th, 2023