Sindh Festival:- An Effort To Raise Bilawal's Profile On The National Political Stage

Fifteen-day Sindh cultural festival has begun with the performance of folk dancers and singers at Mehenjo-Daro, meaning The Mound of Dead, nearly 30 km from PPP's stronghold, Larkana. Many see this festival as PPP's efforts to raise its young chairman Bilawal Zardari's profile on national political stage. Bilawal organized this festival with the slogan," Be proud of your culture, and love Pakistan" He says the objective of the gala is to preserve, promote and protect the heritage of his home province of Sindh. (In the form of dancing on the mound of dead, PPP is preserving the thousand years heritage?). "We need to urgently raise funds for preserving Mohenjodaro." he said in his brief remarks inaugurating the event. To attend an inaugural festival hundreds of people swormed the ancient ruined city which is declared a world heritage site By UNESCO. The ruins were discovered in 1922 by British archaeologist Sir John Marshall. Large wooden scaffoldings were erected on and around the ruins

while spotlights and lser were installed for light show. Experts had wrned that the festival could put Mohenjodaro in danger. Members of civil society also protested ahead of the festival fearing vandalism. A number of foreign visitors some wearing traditional Sindhi Ajrak outfits were also among the 1.000 guests at the grand gala amid tight security. The cultural festivities will continue in different cities of Sindh for 15 days. The Sindhi culture has its roots in the Indus Valley Civilization. The Sindhies have their rich historical language, folklores, traditions, customs and lifestyle shaped by the geography of the region over the past thousands of years.