DERA ISMAIL KHAN: City mayor and chief organiser of Derajat 2025 festival, Umar Amin Gandapur said on Saturday that people from Dera Ismail Khan and all over Pakistan had been invited to participate in the event to make it a success.

The three-week National Derajat 2025 Festival will begin from Eid day featuring a variety of sports and cultural activities.

Arrangements for this purpose have been finalised jointly by the provincial government and the district administration.

Visitors can see a variety of attractions, including Derajat off-road challenge, Mela Aspan, Meena Bazaar for women, an art exhibition, tent pegging, horse and cattle show, pet show, wrestling, gymnastics, cultural dances, poetry session, Qirat and Naat competition and other local sports.

Umar Gandapur said a unique feature of the mega event was the holding of the fourth National Off-road Jeep Rally in the city suburbs along the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor route.

He said that Mela Aspan was being held at the city’s main sports stadium with an objective to promote the cultural and traditional values of the area.

He said that the festival would attract visitors from across the country and abroad and project the soft image of the country through media.

The tehsil mayor said that last year people enjoyed the festival. “Better arrangements have been made this year so that people could have maximum recreational opportunities in the area.”

He said foolproof security arrangements had also been made and various camps and control rooms set up by the local administration to facilitate the visitors.

Published in Dawn, March 30th, 2025