Sufi festival kicks off at PAC

Rawalpindi : Punjab Art Council (PAC) has organised a two-day Sufi festival titled 'Sufi Rung' under Department of Information and Culture, Government of Punjab, Assistant Commissioner Cantt Qandeel Fatima Memon was the chief guest of the inauguration ceremony of Sufi Festival, while Naheed Manzoor and Director Arts Council Waqar Ahmed were also present on the occasion.

On the first day of the festival, Sultan-ul-Qadri Qawal group performed in the 'Mahfil-e-Samaa' and received a standing ovation from the audience.

Chief guest Qandeel Fatima Memon said that over the centuries, Sufi sages Rumi, Omar Khayyam and Ghazali did a lot of work regarding Islamic literature. The influence of these Sufi sages is not only on the Muslim world, but also on Western philosophers and writers. Punjab is a fortress of civilization, flowers, fragrances, literature, culture, songs, music, dances, fairs and festivals, films and theaters, on the other hand it is also the cradle of the loving message of the Sufis, she added.

Naheed Manzoor said that Bulleh Shah, Data Ganj Bakhsh, Pir Waris Shah, Shah Rukn Alam, Pir Meher Ali Shah, Mian Mir Sahib and hundreds of Sufis are resting in the land of Punjab. Punjab Arts Council has organised the Sufi Festival to carry forward this message of the Sufis.

The aim of the festival is to promote peace through Sufi music, she added. Director Arts Council Waqar Ahmed said that Punjab is a land of peace and tolerance, the purpose of the Sufi Festival is to inform the youth about Sufism. A large number of people from the twin cities participated in the festival.