QUETTA: Balochistan Minister for Information Technology Abdul Rahim Ziaratwal has said the Sibi festival generates considerable economic activity for the province and is also an important cultural event of the country.

Speaking at the concluding ceremony of the five-day festival at the Mir Chakar Khan Stadium in Sibi on Friday, he said the event had served to promote the culture of Balochistan for more than 100 years besides providing a platform for cattle trade.

Provincial Health Minister Mir Rehmat Baloch, Minister for Services and General Administration Nawab Mohammad Khan Shahwani, Adviser to the Chief Minister on Livestock Ubaidullah Babat and MPA Manzoor Kakar also spoke on the occasion.

They said that in the past the president and prime minister as well as dignitaries from neighbouring countries used to attend the festival.

The provincial government would organise the festival in a befitting manner next year.

They pointed out that Sibi was a historic city and divisional headquarter but it had no rail link with many districts of the province, including Ziarat, Dera Bugti and Kohlu.

Work on the Sibi-Rakni road had been suspended since long for want of funds.

They called upon the government to ask the federal government to release funds for restoration of the Sibi-Harnai rail link.

They praised different stalls set up by the agriculture department to create awareness about modern methods of farming.