Festival expected to galvanise UAE's Pakistani community

Abu Dhabi: The Pakistani Embassy and community in the capital hope that a festival to be organised by the community after 13 years will re-energise links within the community and help develop their three schools.

The UAE-Pakistan Friendship Festival will be held from December 1 to 12 at the Shaikh Zayed Pakistani Cultural Centre in Abu Dhabi.

The programme under the patronage of the UAE Red Crescent Authority is in line with the UAE National Day Celebrations on December 2, it was announced at a community gathering at the Pakistani Embassy in Abu Dhabi, on Sunday.

"The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also approved it," they said.

It is after 13 years that the community is organising a large-scale charity event. The last one, Meena Bazar, a shopping fair, was organised in 1996, said Khurshed Ahmad Junejo, the Pakistani Ambassador.

"Then [in 1996] the population of the Pakistani community in the UAE was about 400,000 which has increased to more than 800,000 now; so we expect more vibrant participation," he said.

The ‘Meena Bazar' is the major attraction of the festival this year also and its proceeds will go towards the development of three Pakistani schools in Abu Dhabi, said Izhar Haider, chief coordinator of the festival. "A lucky draw [with each coupon] costing Dh5 will offer [a] 2010 model car to the visitors," he said.

Urgent maintenance

The school buildings require urgent maintenance work, Faisal Tirmizi, the first secretary at the embassy, said. "They are run with the support of the community because they charge the lowest fees in the emirate, ranging from Dh150 to Dh500 per month," he said.

Cooperation sought

The organisers of the UAE-Pakistan Friendship Festival have sought the cooperation of the community to make it a success. Participation in the festival is the most important thing, they said. Businesses and individuals can sponsor various segments, said Izhar Haider, the chief coordinator. Individuals can be volunteers at the festival, he said. Community members can contact the embassy at 02-4447800 Ext - 136, 137 and 208.

Full-fledged opening awaited

The Shaikh Zayed Pakistani Cultural Centre in Abu Dhabi where the festival will be held is awaiting formal opening. "We have taken special permission from the UAE authorities to conduct the festival at the centre premises. We have not got the approval to open it," Haider said.