Diplomats laud Pak culture at Taxila Orange Festival

ISLAMABAD: Foreign diplomat corps, belonging to different countries of the world, has taken keen interests on Pakistan’s traditional culture, Sufi music, local crafts and delicious food and said that they were mesmerised to see the real face of the country.

They all praised for giving them opportunity to showcase Pakistan and Taxila’s local culture helping them to understand real image of the country. The diplomatic corps from China, Russia, United Kingdom, Japan, Greece, Austria, Yemen, Iran and others along with their families have participated at Orange Festival arranged at Taxila’s Zildar House on Saturday. Taxila Bar President Syed Rizwan Haider advocate, former secretary general Bar Zeeshan Mehdi and Zildar Mohsin Raza also participated in this special festival.

More than 200 diplomats along with their families and kids representing over 50 countries have participated in this annual event titled Orange Festival in honour of diplomats where special horse dance, traditional stone lifting and Sufi music were arranged at the residence of Zildar Zaheer Hussain Shah.

One foreign diplomat said that they used to visit five star hotels in the federal capital owing to security concerns but this festival had given them opportunity to witness people and its traditions and culture of the country.

On this occasion, Zildar Ahsan Raza Advocate welcomed the diplomatic community as they all had traveled from Islamabad to Taxila which is around 50 kilometer away from the federal capital. He said that Pakistan had rendered innumerable sacrifices for restoring peace for this whole region. He offered them to enjoy local hospitality which is the real face and image of the country.

First of all horse dance was arranged in front of participants in which beautiful horses danced on the tunes of music. Then weight lifting was done by three local youngsters belonged to Taxila as they lifted weight ranging from 90kg to 120kg stones.

Tajikistan’s diplomat said on the occasion that oranges of Taxila were most delicious one in whole Pakistan. He said that it is the real image and face of the country which revolves around mutual love and respect. The local singer Malik Salman Shahid also performed on the occasion and presented Dahmal of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar which was appreciated by foreign diplomats.

Finally, delicious food was offered to foreign diplomats and they all enjoyed it. The diplomats were offered special Kulfi ice cream and sweat pan after the meal.

Some diplomats took keen interests in local stones handicrafts of Taxila as they got some stuff which was made by local entrepreneurs with the help of skilled workforce.