JEDDAH: Pakistan enthusiastically participated in the golden jubilee celebrations of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), said an official statement released by the country’s Consulate General in Jeddah on Friday.
Pakistani folk artists, Akhtar Chanal Zahri and Akbar Khamiso Khan, traveled to Saudi Arabia in connection with the celebrations and performed with musicians from other parts of the Muslim world.
The celebrations lasted for four days from November 25 to 28. The inaugural session was held on Monday in which Special Adviser to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan represented the country.
Later, from November 26 to 28, the celebrations were open for public, and a large number of people came to see the performances of folk artists from across the Muslim world.
On the last day of celebration, a large number of students from the Pakistan International School, Jeddah, attended the cultural evening along with their parents.
The Pakistani folk singers and musicians belonging to Balochistan and Sindh sported their traditional outfits and performed in front of a large audience who thoroughly enjoyed the performance.
The folk singers captivated the audience with their traditional music and dance.
The audience rose from their seats and danced to the tune of the folk songs and music. The Pakistani artists received a lot of appreciation from the audience.
Talking to Arab News, Akhtar Chanal said: “It was a great pleasure for me to perform in Saudi Arabia. It was my first performance here and I enjoyed it a lot.”
He added: “The Saudi-Pak relationship is growing stronger by the day.”
Children from school said they enjoyed the gathering as well, adding that the cultural program was quite informative and gave them a glimpse into the ethnic diversity of their country.