The three-day event would be held at the scenic tourist resort of Ayubia, in the Galiyat region.

The event titled “National Folk Music Festival” would start on Friday (July 22) where for the first time some of the famous artistes from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Balochistan, Sindh and Punjab would perform at the Ayubia Chairlift Midpoint venue, said a press release issued here on Thursday.

The idea behind the musical extravaganza is to bring people of diverse ethnicities closer. The organisers hope to establish an atmosphere of social and cultural exchange and dialogue in order to inculcate respect and appreciate diversity in our culture.

According to them, such initiatives make the society more tolerant and peaceful to promote coexistence.

Cultural shows, fun and food will also be part of the three-day festival. It will be a rare occasion for families to enjoy both pop and folk music from different parts of the country at a single venue.

Art performers from all the four provinces, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan will perform traditional dances including Khattak, Wazir Attan, Gatka of Hazara in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Cholistan and Multani dances of Punjab, Leva dance of Balochistan and Jhoomer and Tharri dances of Sindh.

Mudassar Zaman, Afshan Zebi, Sami,Rizwana Khan, Aamir Zeb, Janas Khan, Khumaryan, Ismail Junaid, Karan Khan, Khalid Malik, Hamad Beg and others will perform in the “Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Evening” on the first day of the gala.

“Folk Music of Pakistan” is another attractive item on the second day where Gulzar Alam, Ahmad Gul, Akhtar Channaal, Nadeem Abbas Lonewala, Shazia Khushk, Rukhsana Kashmiri, Safdar Hussain, Mumtaz Ali, Rehmat Bano, Pervez and others will enthral the audience.

Rabi Pirzada, Amanat Ali, Humera Arshad, Roxen Band, Faakhir and others will perform in the “Pop Night” on the final night on Sunday.

Revival of such cultural events, traditional melas and festivals are meant to provide opportunities to famous artistes to bring their talent to the fore.

These activities would also help promote social and cultural exchange among diverse communities and ensure sustainability and open possibilities of growth, continuity with similar groups, arts councils and various organisations working for the promotion and preservation of culture.

TCKP has in the past held various festivals in Hazara district at venues like Khanpur, Naran and Ayubia. Easily accessible from cities like the federal capital and Abbottabad, and at an hour’s drive, the Galiyat region with its many hill stations is a tourism and culturally rich area frequently visited by thousands of tourists especially in the summer.

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2011