Hyderabad: As part of its commitment towards promoting the Thari culture and supporting local small businesses, the Engro Powergen Thar Limited (EPTL) organized a one-day Thar Festival at the Power Plant site in Thar Block II, Islamkot. Several local vendors set up stalls of Thari cuisine and cultural handicrafts. Special services were sought from the now famous Café Thar of Mithi. Along with the Chinese staff of the powerplant, chief of Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company Mr. Shamsuddin Ahmed Shaikh and staff members of EPTL enjoyed the Thari food and purchased various colorful Thari handicrafts. Famous handicrafts seller Love Raj sold a large number of items including Thari Shawls, Loee’s, Gajj, Chunri, Chaddar, and Rillis. A range of Thari food comprised delicious traditional local cuisine like desi butter, lassi, chapatis of different grains including Millet, guwar (cluster beans), chibbhar as well as barbeque and fast food items including mutton, chicken tikka, malai boti, tikka boti, chicken broast, french fries, russian salad, fresh green salad, gajar halwa, and soft drinks. Speaking about the importance of such cultural festivals, the company’s general manager administration Mr. Farhan Ansari said that the purpose of the festival is to support the local culture and small and medium businesses, economically as well as in terms of popularity. “Since Tharparkar’s socioeconomic conditions are fast changing, it is imperative to handhold local businesses to help them align with the demands of the modern-day world,” Mr Ansari added. Published in Daily Times, January 16th 2018.