Daily Times

Popular musicians and folk performers mesmerized the audience with their enthralling performance at a cultural show organized in honour of the delegates of two-day International Conference of News Agencies (ICNA) to apprise them of the rich cultural and traditional values of Pakistan.

After tiresome deliberation during the two days of the conference, the colorful cultural show with various unique performances of artists fascinated the foreign guests and local spectators, who responded with huge applause and appreciation.

Cultural dances of different regions of Pakistan in colorful dresses were presented by the artists, which was highly appreciated by the guests from various countries including China, Indonesia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Romania, Oman, Bulgaria, Turkey, Lebanon, Sudan, Syria and Tunisia.

Lava Dance, Punjabi or Sindhi Dance or the traditional dance of Northern Areas, each segment told the tale of rich culture of various regions of the country. All of them marvelously manifested Pakistani culture and traditions for the amusement and knowledge of the foreign delegates.

No matter if it was violin playing by renowned and legendary musician Ustad Saen Raees Ahmad Khan or dancing fingers of Salman Adil on flute, each segment was fully enjoyed by the participants. Fusion of Eastern and Western music by Saen Raees was a unique performance as melodies of Salman’s flute took the audience to the heights of pleasure.

At a performance where we have fusion of all regions, if we do not have Dhol (Drum) from Punjab and Rabab from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, then the performance remain tasteless. So, dancing on his feet with hands beating the drum, Dedar Hussain presented a captivating performance to enthrall the spectators.

The melodious tunes of Rabab by Zafar Ali, the artist coming a long way from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was another addition to the program tastefully designed by the organizers to give a pleasant send up to the delegates.

Every stroke of the drum beater, every step of the dancers presently folk dances and every tune of flute or rabab seemed to be touching the hearts of the audience whose clapping and appreciation spoke highly of their liking to the show.

Published in Daily Times, May 16^th 2018.