Hyderabad:
In the middle of disarray and chaos, the great musical concert organized by the Sindh government to mark the day of independence and Marka-e-Haq left Friday evening in Hyderabad. Tens of thousands of citizens had ravaged Rani Bagh, the largest still developed leisure place in the city, in the hope of taking advantage of captivating performance by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Sanam Marvi and other renowned artists.
Distant parking lots have forced many people to travel a kilometer to reach the place, but the spirits remained high – until the rowdy crowds violated the designated enclosures for families. Bamboo fences separating these areas were broken down by groups of young men, causing altercations and harassment incidents, including attacks on media workers.
“We came here while waiting for a splendification of music and pleasure, but what we met was a wild crowd about to behave badly with women,” said Irfan Kazi, a resident of Qasimabad. He described how the crowd would have enabled a free entry, tried to make his way to the stage, spreading them already.
“This is one of the worst events,” complains a young woman. “Women are insulted, and their dupattas and scarves are lowered.”
The event was organized by the Sindh government in collaboration with the Pakistan Arts Council, Karachi. In the supply of the concert, officials of the district administration, the police, the mayor Kashir Ali Shoro, and the chairman of the board Muhammad Ahmed Shah made several visits to inspect the arrangements.
The police later said that the crowd management inside the place had been delegated to volunteers appointed by the Council. However, many participants expressed their dismay, expecting the police to maintain control during such a major public event.
The Hyderabad concert was one of the three events of this type organized by the provincial government in collaboration with the Arts Council, with other held in Sukkur and Karachi.
As Rahat Fateh Ali Khan went on stage around 11 p.m., many families had already started to leave the place of frustration and concern. The event would have cost the government about 50 million rupees.
Despite the chaos, the main minister of Sindh, Sharjeel Inam Memon, published a statement on Saturday congratulating the organizers for a “successful” event.
Speaking during the concert, the Minister of Culture of the Sindh, Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah, congratulated the nation for its 78th day of independence and thanked the council and its president for having rendered the event possible. The Minister of Sindh of Irrigation Jam Khan Shoro, a MPA of Hyderabad, also addressed the crowd.
