Sufi Festival Begins to Spread Message of Peace, Harmony

News Desk

Rawalpindi: The Punjab Arts Council (PAC) organised a two-day Sufi festival titled Sufi Rung on Saturday to promote peace through Sufi music.

Assistant Commissioner Cantt Qandeel Fatima Memon was the chief guest at the inauguration ceremony of the festival.

On the first day of the festival, the Sultan-ul-Qadri Qawal group performed in the Mahfil-e-Samaa and received a standing ovation from the audience.

Speaking on the occasion, Qandeel Fatima said that Sufis like Rumi, Omar Khayyam, and Ghazali did a lot of work regarding Islamic literature over the centuries. The Sufi sages not only influenced the Muslim world but also Western philosophers and writers, she added.

AC Fatima further stated that Punjab was a fortress of civilization, flowers, fragrances, literature, culture, songs, music, dances, fairs and festivals, film theatres; and was also the cradle of the loving message of the Sufis.

Naheed Manzoor added that Bulleh Shah, Data Ganj Bakhsh, PirWaris Shah, Shah Rukn Alam, PirMeher Ali Shah, Mian Mir Sahib, and hundreds of Sufis were resting in the land of Punjab, and PAC organised the Sufi Festival to carry forward the message of the Sufis.

Arts Council Director Waqar Ahmed said that Punjab was a land of peace and tolerance, and the purpose of celebrating the festival was to inform the youth about Sufism.