MULTAN, March 23: A full dress rehearsal was held at Qila Kohna, Qasim Bagh, here on Thursday as part of final preparations for three-day Jashn-i-Baharaan and Horse and Cattle show which is scheduled to begin here on Friday. DCO Iftikhar Babar witnessed the rehearsal and expressed satisfaction at the level of preparedness of the participants of a series of colourful programmes arranged for the event.

A number of people were present to witness the rehearsal.

The March 24-26 event would be formally inaugurated by Punjab livestock minister Syed Haroon Sultan Bukhari on Friday.

Schools, Multan College of Arts, Agriculture department and business entities of the city decorated green belts along Abdali Road with colourful flowers and lights. Families have been visiting the road since Wednesday night for a walk or a ride on bikes or cars to watch the lively atmosphere giving a festive look from Nawan Shehr Chowk to SP Chowk.

The Social Welfare department has arranged a ‘Meena Bazaar’ for ladies to be held on March 26 from 10 am to 3 pm at Qasim Bagh.

Colourful programmes including a children’s show, funfair, tableaus, magic show, agro-industrial exhibition, speech contests, singing of folk, Ghazal, popular and national songs would be the main features of the event. Villagers have brought scores of healthy animals who will parade before the visitors on Friday to get prizes on their health, beauty and their capability to give milk.

A fireworks show would be held every night at 8 pm and a Mehfil-i-Sama would be held at Darbar Hazrat Shah Rukn-i-Aalam on Saturday night.

Famous folk singer Arif Lohar would perform on the last day.—APP