Three-day Jashn-e-Daman festival kicked off in Dera Ismail Khan on Sunday. The festival is being held after a span of 16 years due to law and order situation. The inauguration ceremony of the festival organised by the district government was held at the city’s Town Hall. The aim of the festival was to promote tourism, local culture and traditions, and to create talent hunt opportunities for the youth of the area. Horse dance, fireworks and tableaus were presented by the school children during the inaugural ceremony. Pashto and Urdu poets presented their ‘kalam’ while several sports competitions like kabbadi, tent pegging and volleyball would be held during the three-day festival. A large number of people attended the inaugural ceremony. Speaking on the occasion, District Nazim Mustafa Khan Kundi and Deputy Commissioner (DC) Shahrukh Ali Khan said that such festivals were organised to provide entertainment facilities, keep youth safe of negative activities and give a message of peace to the global community. They lauded the sacrifices and struggle of security forces for restoration of peace which helped to organize the event after span of 16 years. The district nazim and DC said that organisation of the festival and participation of a large number of people in the inaugural ceremony revealed that peace had been restored and people felt them safe and secure. Published in Daily Times, March 18th 2019.