Lok Mela opens with folk songs, dance

The ten-day folk festival started at the National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage

ISLAMABAD: An annual celebration of Pakistan’s cultural diversity opened with colourful performances by folk artistes on Friday.

The ten-day folk festival, Lok Mela, started at the National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage (Lok Virsa) with a display of traditional heritage of all four provinces including Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

Renowned singers Zarsanga and Tina Sani inaugurated the event at the Open Air Theatre. Lok Virsa Executive Director Dr Fouzia Saeed said that the festival brings together cultures and civilisations of the country.



Lok Mela aims at promoting and preserving arts, crafts, culture, folk music and traditional skills of Pakistan, she said. The display of unity in diversity has now become a symbol of the federation, she said.

Over the next 10 days, artisans, folk artistes, musicians and performers would entertain visitors, Dr Saeed said.

Renowned artists Gulab Khan, Ashraf Gulzar, Fazal Jutt, Taimoor Afghani and Shaukat Ali performed during the opening ceremony and enthralled the audience.

More than 700 artists, singers and artisans were participating in the festival. A shuttle service was also arranged to bring visitors from various points to Lok Virsa.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 8^th, 2017.