ISLAMABAD: The air at Lok Virsa Cultural and Heritage Museum this week is alive with the rhythms of Balochistan, the beat of folk drums, the swirl of embroidered turbans, and the aroma of sajji roasting over open flames.
Visitors stepping into the Balochistan Grand Tourism Festival find themselves immersed in a vivid celebration of the province’s culture, hospitality, and promise, according to a statement issued by the Press Information Department (PID) on Saturday.
Organized by the Balochistan Department of Culture and Tourism, the three-day festival transforms the museum grounds into a vibrant slice of Pakistan’s largest yet often misunderstood province.
Models of major landmarks, from Gwadar Port to Hingol National Park, stand proudly beside displays of gemstones and minerals, highlighting the region’s vast natural wealth and potential for tourism.
Stalls adorned with bold Balochi embroidery showcase handmade jewelry, pottery, and traditional dresses, while the rhythmic sound of dambura strings draws visitors toward live folk performances. Women in brightly colored pashk dresses and men in flowing shalwar kameez perform the traditional chaap dance, their hands clapping in unison to the beat.
The scent of spiced lamb and freshly baked kaak fills the air as visitors sample traditional dishes, each bite offering a taste of Balochistan’s diverse culinary heritage. Families, students, and tourists stroll through the festival grounds, pausing to take photographs beside replicas of Quetta’s Ziarat Residency and the rugged peaks of the Makran coast.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Pakistan Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan said it was time to show the “real and vibrant Balochistan” to the world, one defined not by challenges but by patriotism, traditions, and immense potential.
“When you invest in your own people, the world will come to you,” the PID quoted the minister as saying, emphasizing that promoting Balochistan’s beauty, heritage, and hospitality through tourism and investment can help foster national unity and reshape perceptions.
Nawabzada Mir Muhammad Zarain Khan Magsi, Parliamentary Secretary for Culture and Tourism for Balochistan, said the festival aims to project the “true image” of Balochistan through its folk music, crafts, cuisine, and cultural performances.
He added that such initiatives promote tourism while strengthening cultural diplomacy and interprovincial harmony.
As twilight descends over Lok Virsa, the stage lights flicker on and the soulful strains of the suroz fill the night, a reminder that Balochistan’s true story is one of resilience, beauty, and boundless spirit.
