The National Khairpur Khajoor Festival was jointly organised by the Sindh Higher Education Commission (Sindh HEC) and the University of Sindh, Jamshoro, at the Pearl Continental (PC) Hotel in Karachi. The festival was inaugurated by Sindh Minister for Universities and Boards Muhammad Ismail Rahoo. The ceremony was presided over by Chairperson Sindh Higher Education Commission Prof Dr S.M. Tariq Rafi (SI), while Minister for Universities and Boards Muhammad Ismail Rahoo was the chief guest and Secretary Universities and Boards Muhammad Abbas Baloch was the guest of honour.

Addressing the ceremony, Sindh Minister for Universities and Boards Muhammad Ismail Rahoo  said that festivals of this nature provided opportunities for the promotion and development of agriculture. He said Sindh HEC and the University of Sindh deserved congratulations for organising such an impressive programme. He said that grading, Packing and other processes would have to be brought up to international standards to expand the global market for dates produced in Sindh as well as across Pakistan. He said the desired benefits could not be achieved until this was done.

He said around 500 varieties of dates were reported worldwide, while in Pakistan, figures of 200, 250 and 300 varieties were cited in different places. He said accurate data needed to be compiled through research. He said the Sindh government would provide full opportunities for date production, marketing and research. He said resources needed to be supported through mutual cooperation.

Chairperson Sindh Higher Education Commission Prof Dr S.M. Tariq Rafi In his address, said that agriculture played an important role in the national economy. He said the purpose of organising the National Khairpur khajoor Festival was to expand market opportunities for dates and promote research on the crop. He said the Sindh Higher Education Commission had provided extensive opportunities and full support for research in agriculture and other fields at universities, and that this process would continue in the future.

He said there was a need to enhance cooperation among universities, growers and industries and that efforts should be made to ensure that the benefits of research reached the general public to the maximum extent. He expressed hope that the festival would promote date production in national and international markets. He advised young people to pay greater attention to research and assured them of the Sindh HEC’s full support. He also appreciated the efforts of the Vice Chancellor of the University of Sindh and his team and congratulated them on making excellent arrangements for the programme.

In his welcome address at the beginning of the ceremony, University of Sindh

 Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Fateh Muhammad Marri (TI) thanked all the participants and highlighted the objectives of the Khairpur Khajoor Festival. He said Pakistan was an important date-producing country in the world and produced dates in large quantities, while Khairpur district of Sindh was particularly a hub of date production. He said the purpose of organising the National Khairpur Khajoor Festival was to highlight the importance of dates, increase their production and create new market opportunities.

He said there was a need to improve the date supply chain and promote digital marketing. Billions of rupees could be earned through date exports, he said. The Vice Chancellor said dates suffered considerable damage from rains in Pakistan due to inadequate protective measures compared with other countries, and that steps were needed to prevent such losses. He appreciated the efforts of students of the University of Sindh’s Institute of Business Administration who had worked hard to organise the impressive programme.

Secretary Universities and Boards Muhammad Abbas Baloch said that a Khajoor festival had previously been organised in Khairpur and that he was pleased to see its continuation. He said dates were an important crop of Khairpur and a great blessing from nature. He said growers and traders could be encouraged and provided with opportunities for economic benefits by giving greater support to the crop.

Vice Chancellor Shah Abdul Latif University, Khairpur, Prof Dr Muhammad Yousuf Khushk said that dates from Khairpur were not merely a crop or fruit but also an important source of livelihood for the people of the area. He said the roots of dates were embedded not only in the soil but also in the hearts of the people and the culture of the region. He said universities had an important role to play in connecting people with markets.

Senior Professor of Sindh Agriculture University, Tando Jam, Prof Dr Muhammad Ismail Kumbhar said that it was a highly important festival and that the organisers deserved congratulations for holding it. He said Khairpur dates had a unique taste and were highly popular internationally, adding that greater opportunities needed to be created for them in the global market.

On the occasion, Shah Abdul Latif University, Khairpur, Professor and researcher Prof Dr Ghulam Sarwar Markhand, delivered a detailed presentation on dates. Syed Nadeem Shah Jamot and Hafiz Abdul Haleem also spoke on the occasion. At the end, Sindh HEC Director Maimoona Shah thanked all the participants.

Festival focal person and teacher at the Institute of Business Administration Dr Farhan Zaib Khaskheli, Marvi Mallah and Mahnoor Saleem performed the duties of stage presenters.

On the occasion, Minister Muhammad Ismail Rahoo, Chairperson Sindh HEC Prof Dr S.M. Tariq Rafi, University of Sindh Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Fateh Muhammad Marri and other distinguished guests visited various stalls set up at the festival. They took keen interest in and appreciated the different varieties of dates, handicrafts and art paintings displayed at the stalls. The Vice Chancellor also presented gifts of ajraks and lungis, along with shields, to the provincial minister and other guests. A musical programme was held at the end, in which renowned artist Faheem Alan and Darosh Band entertained the audience with their performances.

More than 20 stalls were set up at the festival by traders from Sindh, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, displaying various famous varieties of dates from the four provinces.

The University of Sindh’s Institute of Art and Design also established an art gallery at the festival, where mixed-media and collage paintings prepared by institute students on the theme of dates were displayed. At the stall of the University of Sindh’s Institute of Business Administration, various types of biscuits prepared by students from dates and dry fruits were displayed. A stall established by the Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences of the Institute of Biochemistry featured cakes, laddoos and chutney items prepared by students from dates. The stall of the Sindh Rural Support Organisation displayed handicrafts, including date-palm leaf products, as well as ajraks, shawls and rillis.

Vice Chancellor Sufi University Bhit Shah Prof Dr Imamuddin Khoso, Dean Faculty of Commerce and Business Administration University of Sindh Prof Dr Javed Ahmed Chandio, Dean Faculty of Pharmacy Prof Dr Muhammad Ali Ghoto, former minister Mubeen Jumani, Rector IoBM Prof Dr Tariq Rahim Soomro, Head of Department FAST University Dr Zulfiqar Ali Memon, Dr Huma Bukhari, Rotary Club’s Aslam Baloch, University of Sindh Controller Examinations Muhammad Mashooque Siddiqui, Director Bureau of STAGS Ajved Ahmed Bhatti, Director Institute of Art and Design Prof Saeed Ahmed Mangi, Provost Girls Hostel Dr Farhat Naureen, and University of Sindh faculty members Dr Umeed Ali Rind, Dr Abdul Rehman Nangraj, Dr Muhammad Aqeel Bhutto, Dr Akram Khatri, Dr Ahmed Shah and Dr Muhammad Aslam Solangi, along with teachers and students of the University of Sindh, Jamshoro, Sindh Agriculture University, Tando Jam, and Shah Abdul Latif University, Khairpur, attended the festival.