Rain wipes out three-day food festival in Karachi

Rain wipes out three-day food festival in Karachi

KARACHI: Rain has caused millions of rupees loss to organizers and exhibiters as well as food outlet owners on the first day of the three-day annual 'Karachi Eat Festival'.

The rain had forced organizers of the event being held at the Frere Hall to suspend their activity. Thousands of visitors were expected to attend the event marred by the rain on the opening day.

Talking to Daily Times, Saif Abbas, senior Director Sports and Culture of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) and a collaborator of the event said that due to continuous rain the event has been cancelled.

He said that the food festival was organised to generate revenue for the financial-crunched entity. He further said that such festivals would also be held at different parts of the city in future.

Due to bad weather and wet conditions there was a risk of electric short circuit, which forced the organisers to cancel the event in the evening, disappointing many food lovers.

However, a large number of people visited the festival on the first day despite rain.

Meanwhile, Abdullah Mushtaq, acting Director General Parks and Horticulture KMC has been relieved from his post in light of the Supreme Court of Pakistan's orders relating to non-cadre and absorbing officials in other departments of the government

Arshad Ahmed, Director Coordination, KMC referring to letter Sec/MC/KMC/547/2017, January 13, 2017, in compliance to the order of SCP and earlier directives issued by Local Government of Sindh and vide letter SO-V(LG)/12-120/2013, September 23, 2013 and letter SO-V(LG)12/2014, May 22, 2014 has confirms Mushtaq was relieved.

Abdullah Mushtaq was relived from his services on Friday even though he had maintained that he remained an official of KMC Parks and Horticulture Department and his relieve from post is illegal.

He said the action was taken against him on remarks he made to the municipal commissioner in which he objected that holding of food festival on grassy ground of Frere Hall would damage the greenery besides the flower patches of the site.