SAHIWAL, March 17: The sixth Horse and Cattle Show, also popularly known Jashn–i-Baharan, began amid security concern at Mall Mandi Ground on Monday. Livestock secretary Muhammad Yaqoob Babar was the chief guest. The festival will continue till March 20.

The low turnout at the festival was a huge disappointment for the organisers who had done a lot of publicity of the event.

Up to 72 stalls of local and multinational companies have been set up but there were no enough buyers.

A private channel reporter left the venue in protest when the chief guest snubbed him.

“The recent spat of suicide bombings is the main reason behind the low turnout at the festival,” Ali Azhar Goga, media coordinator of the show, told Dawn.

No elected member of the assembly from the Pakistan People’s Party or the Pakistan Muslim League-N was seen at the festival. The event was mostly dominated by the Rai group, led by Rai Hasan Nawaz, district nazim.

The main features of the event include folk dance, a physical training show by students, horse dance, horse pegging, milk competition and photo exhibitions.