NAWABSHAH, March 6: District Nazim Faryal Talpur on Tuesday inaugurated annual flower show and art, science and cultural exhibition amid beefed up security in and around the venue in the wake of threats of bomb blast from an anonymous source.

The organisers also postponed a stage show and tableaux after threats. Sources said that the EDO of education had received an SMS on his cell number threatening of a bomb explosion if a stage show or musical programme involving female participants was held at the flower show.

EDO Education Veer Kumar Orchani said that he had been receiving threats from an unknown mobile number since Feb 27, and he had communicated it to the authorities concerned for necessary action.

An official told Dawn on condition of anonymity that at least 60 personnel of Rangers would cordon off the exhibition venue with the help of heavy contingents of police and some 20 special volunteers who would scan the venue before the commencement of show and the visitors as well.

The nazim said while addressing a large number of women and children who had come to visit the exhibition that the annual flower show was a gift from the district government to the people of Nawabshah.

She said that living in a healthy environment was a fundamental right of every citizen. The district government was planning to establish a botanical garden in the city, she added.

Several public and private organisations had set up stalls at the exhibition showcasing beautifully decorated pots of different kinds of flowers, flower charts, seeds, plants, herbs, bails, etc. A large number of students from different schools had arranged stalls exhibiting models of science, arts and culture.

Earlier on Monday district nazim inaugurated a sports festival organised by union council-2 nazim Mohammad Hussain Bughio at Sachal Sarmast College in which sportsmen from different parts of the province showed their skills in karate, long-jump, high-jump, kung fu, gymnastics, weightlifting and several other games.

Commandant of Indus Rangers Colonel Maqsood Amir, DCO Ahmed Bux Khokhar, DPO Dr Ghulam Sarwar Jamali and District Naib Nazim Abdul Haq Jamali were also present on the occasion.

BOOKED: Police on Tuesday booked five people including an SHO and ASI after a judicial magistrate found them guilty of keeping a man in illegal confinement.