Committee formed to raise funds for “Silk Route Festival” in Gilgit-Baltistan
Our Correspondent
Gilgit, September 20: A seven member committee has been formed to raise funds for the Silk Route Festival scheduled to be held next month.
According to a notification issued by the Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Secretary, the committee will be responsible for planning the event, raising funds and managing the programmes. The committee will be headed by KIU Vice Chancellor, Dr. Najma Najam, and among its members will be representatives of various government departments and NGOs.
The Silk Route Festival used to be an important cultural event that provided good opportunity for artists and artisans to exhibit their skills and earn means of livelihood. The festival lost its charm, however, due to poor law and order situation as well as because of lack of interest by the administration and public representatives.
While the organizers are making tall claims of gathering “thousands of tourists”, the timing of the event might discourage potential visitors because the temperature drops sharply with the arrival of autumn. The negative press received by the region because of the Nanga Parbat massacre may also discourage potential visitors.
According to plans, the organizers want to hold cultural event at multiple spots along the Karakoram Highway.
It is a short notice to attract international participants. Preparations should have been started in June/July for such a mega event. I do not think that the organizers will achieve desired result.