Four-day ‘historic’ Sibi Festival to start today

Event begins with cattle shows and conventions

QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal has lauded the Sibi Festival – to kick off today (Sunday) –for its historic and cultural significance and expressed hope that it will have a long-term effect on economy, tourism and culture.

“Founder of Pakistan Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah had participated in traditional Sibi Festival and the provincial government has decided to celebrate it with full zeal and fervour,” the CM was quoted as saying in an official handout on Saturday.
Kamal said Sibi Festival is a mark of the rich tradition of Balochistan and congratulated the administration of the event. He said the government would continue its support to the event which vitalizes economical activities in Balochistan.

More than 30,000 security personnel including police, Frontier Corps, Levies and anti-terrorism forces would be deployed for the day. The historic festival will continue for four days.

Provincial ministers, members of the national and provincial assembly, belonging to Balochistan will also attend the event. It is expected that the initiative will turn the district into a hub of cultural activities.

The event will start with a horse and cattle show. After which, a conference will be held on livestock, then there will be an industrial exhibition.



The highlight, however, will be a mushaira (poets’ congregation), stage shows, and a circus. People from all over the province will also bring their cattle and horses to sell.

Last year, over 2,000 Bhag Nari and Bal Nari — two cattle breeds found only in Sibi — were sold to farmers in Punjab and Sindh, private news channel reported.

Historians believe that Sibi festival dates back to thousands of years and the previous rulers celebrated it annually. Mir Chakar Khan Rind, who ruled over Balochistan in the 16th century, made Sibi his capital. He would hold the festival at the end of each winter and before the advent of spring.