By Abdul Qadir QureshiBeautiful dresses, music, folk songs, skits fascinatingly depicted the cultures of various provinces of Pakistan at a Lok Virsa (Cultural Fair) coinciding International Women’s Day held at Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology (SSUET), Karachi, on March 8.
The Fair was organized by Girl Students Committee of the University and participated by the girl students and their families in a very large number.
The programmes presented on the occasion highlighted the cultural values of Pakistan and contribution of Pakistani woman folk towards the promotion of the same.
Addressing the opening ceremony, Chancellor SSUET, Engr Z.A. Nizami, highly appreciated the performance of the girls in programs presented by them and declared that such activities will continue at regular intervals.
He said that holding of Lok Virsa on the occasion of Woman’s Day was of great significance and the university’s girl students have made a great stride towards the promotion of cultural face of Pakistan in its all richness and values.
Engr Nizami said that like Aligarh Muslim University Old Boys Association we wanted to make Algarh Old Girls Association but the women said they do not want to have an Old Girls Association and preferred to be the members of Old Boys Association,
He laid greater emphasis on social activities at the university and said this Lok Virsa program has provided a great impetus to the idea.
Addressing the function MNA Khush Bakht Shujaat praised the presentation made by the girls at the Cultural Fair and said that those nations remember their cultures and cultural values, they re-emerge even after their downall, but those who forget their cultures and values they cannot come out once they fall into quagmire.
She cited the example of French Revolution and said that even after their bloody revolution when even castles and palaces of rich French were burnt, they did not destroy their libraries and treasures of arts and crafts and, therefore, they were able to re-emerge after the revolution.
She called upon the girl students to give their time to the promotion of art and culture and said that they will have to unfold their hidden talents and bring the same out for the purpose.
She advised them not to restrict the knowledge they get to themselves and pass on fruits of the same to others. She said that it is only the educated daughters and mothers who give birth to strong nations.
MNA Khush Bakht said that grooming of girls is most essential along with their academic activities. She said they should focus on building inner personality as it is imperative for achieving success in life.
Speaking on the occasion Zubaida Tariq, famously known as Zubaida Aapa, recalled that during their student days, girls used to be provided training along with education, but this aspect is now non-existent.
She said that if girls are imparted proper training during their academic period, the society will become and look beautiful and it would make the nation lead towards development.
She told them that they should take teachers as their role model and make themselves so strong that no one could be able to distract them from their goals.
On the occasion the girls presented lok songs, wedding ceremonies which included mehndi, mayoon, nikah and rukhsati and depicted cultures of various provinces through dresses. The girls had also setup various stalls including food stalls and stalls depicting various cultures.
The Chancellor, Engr Z.A. Nizami, along with Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Sayed Nazir Hussain and members of AMUOBA went round these stalls and appreciated their presentation.
