[Photo Feature]Festivity on 14th August in Gulmit, Gojal
Text by Noor Photos by Ali Ahmed
Festivity could be seen everywhere in Gulmit, on 14th August, the independence day of Pakistan. A number of events had been organized by various institutions to commemorate the day. The biggest event was ending ceremony of the Silk Route Festival 2009. This festival was sponsored by the Tourism Department and managed by the Ismaili Boys Scouts Group, Gulmit. Chief executive of NALA, Attiqa Ghazanfar, Secretary Tourism and other government officials participated in the event.
Due to the charged political environment ahead of the November elections to NALA, there was some protest against the presence of Ghazanfar Ali Khan during the event. People feared that he would turn the Silk Route Festival into an election campaign event. However, sanity prevailed as the chief executive and his wife avoided making political statements or campaigning for the elections.
The other major event was final match of the volley ball tournament organized by Mountain Areas Support Organization (MASO). Shishkat and Ghuklin had qualified for the finals and Shishkat came out victorious in the final match, winning the volley ball championship.
Stop using institutions for politics….
We learned and followed gojali brothers to oppose the miri nizam but now i m worry that they should not move back to support Gazani again as they have invited him to speak in this gathering. Still i m optimistic about the youth who would resist such invitations in future.
Independence Day and icons of slavery… what is the connection?
First of all i would like to give my heartiest congratulations to all the citizens for the independence day. Secondly i was really shocked to hear that people all over have thaught about the election compagian of Ghazanfar in the festival which was organised by Gulmit Boyscouts Group.
The Silk Route Festival which was organised by Gulmit Boyscouts Group was no any political compaign for any political party. It was our first fault that we have taken this programe as unmandatory, as it was not in the mandate of Boyscouts, if we have invited Ghazanfer as the cheif guest it was not our fault bcz he was invited by the Tourism Dept as the chief guest. our main aim was to make this festival as a success and we have done that and now it is the thinking angle of the public that whether it was poloitical compaign or it was just a festival.. there was no any political speeches in that programme, ther was only the proposal of making Gulmit as a model village and mashallah it is in the stage of approving.
Any how i would like to thank all those who so ever has made his or her cooperation with us to give this festival a success, whether they have financially or moraly supported us or in any way supported us. thank you all of you for your suggestions.
Tariq Rahim Baig
GSL sec
Gulmit Boyscouts Group.
Dear readers of PT,
We appreciate constructive activities to be embarked on in our region but at the same time some opportunistics try to divert the real essence of the activities for self benefits.
It is highly desired to organize activities keeping in view its prospects and consequences.I had observed the same situation last year when the Silk Route festival was organized by the Wakhi Tajik Cultural Association in collaboration with the tourism department Northern Areas.Some political elements for their self exposure and self benefits tried to manipulate the entire festival.
There are events for the political activities and such plateforms must not be used for creating a hype and a misconception.
I hope that in the future everything will be stepped up keeping in view the pertinence of the situation.
Aslam Ghalib
Rawalpindi
Dear readers of PT,
We appreciate constructive activities that are embarked on in our region but at the same time some opportunistics try to divert the real essence of the activities for self benefits.
It is highly desired to organize activities keeping in view its prospects and consequences.I had observed the same situation last year when the Silk Route festival was organized by the Wakhi Tajik Cultural Association in collaboration with the tourism department Northern Areas.Some political elements for their self exposure and self benefits tried to manipulate the entire festival.
There are events for the political activities and such plateforms must not be used for creating a hype and a misconception.
I hope that in the future everything will be stepped up keeping in view the pertinence of the situation.
Aslam Ghalib
Rawalpindi
I suggest that Our institutions such as Gulmit Boy Scouts Group should stay out of politics and be extra careful before entering into partnerships for organizing events involving government departments which are full of corruption and incompetency.
These departments have never been used for the interest of common people but to serve someone’s political agendas and making money out of the event by the organizers.
I wonder what has the Punjab Tourism department got to do with the Silk Route Festival organized in Gulmit? This raises many question in my mind and I am sure my colleagues will also agree with me.
I am sure public funds were involved in this event as well and the corrupt officials may have reaped upon this festival too besides promoting “Ghazani” who is loosing political grounds to the uprising youth of the region.
I request the leadership of the Gulmit Boy Scouts Group never to be part of such events which are aimed at political gain of someone because this can jeopardize/politicize the group.
Scouting is a non-political social movement and should be strictly governed by the Scout Laws.
Sher
Gulmit has always been a centre of successfull events and programmes. The reason behind is unity among the youth and cooperation and support of every individual, it is sad to know that during the Silk Route Festival some political workers tried to divert it for their political benifits. such “destructive thinkers” indirectly backed by some of our very educated and literate brothers is requested to let the mass live together with harmony and peace… and choose some other plateforms for your political motives.
with kind regards
nafisa Aamir
Faisalabad