The name of the annual mango festival in Mirpurkhas, now being observed as an international event, has been changed to ‘Our Mirpurkhas, city of mangoes’, the district’s administrator Ghulam Hussain Memon, who is also president of the mango festival committee, told Pakistan Today.
“The six-day long 46th mango festival starts today (Sunday) and all arrangements have been finalised to celebrate it in accordance with international standards,” he added. However, Memon said that one programme of the festival, a musical night, was cancelled to mourn the death of Hakim Ali Zardari, senior politician and the president’s father.
He said that this festival’s inaugural ceremony would take place at Gama Stadium where the Zarai Numaish and Sindh’s traditional culture village “Kaho Jo Goth” have been set up. The Sindhi traditional wrestling malakhra, cricket, boxing, a tournament for the physically-challenged, karate, wanjh watti and other games would be part of the festival.
MNAs Mir Munawar Talpur and Pir Aftab Hussain Shah Jilani will inaugurate the Zarai Numaish and the cultural village.
Provincial minister Ali Nawaz Shah will open the mango festival at the Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Mango Exhibition Hall on June 2. Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah will participate in the concluding ceremony of the festival on June 4.
The chairman of the organising committee of the mango festival, Anwer Gondal told Pakistan Today that 360 owners of mango orchards have registered themselves to participate in the festival.