The Ministries of Culture of Pakistan and Tajikistan, together with the Embassy of Tajikistan, PNCA and Lok Virsa, have announced a week-long Week of Tajikistan Culture in Islamabad to deepen cultural ties and promote shared heritage. The festival is designed to showcase the richness of Tajik traditions while fostering people-to-people connections between the two countries.
The programme will feature a traditional cultural showcase and an art exhibition titled Land of Mountains and Poets, alongside a fusion music and dance night that brings Tajik and Pakistani performers together. A Tajik film festival will screen two new films focused on Tajik history, culture and classical poetry, reflecting the close literary affinities that Tajik audiences draw from poets such as Allama Muhammad Iqbal.
Live handicraft demonstrations and a culinary festival offering authentic Tajik cuisine will give Pakistani audiences hands-on access to skills such as Tajik hand embroidery and regional crafts. A literary forum will bring writers and scholars into dialogue, and organizers plan a grand night gala at Lahore Shahi Fort to revive Mughal-era cultural memories and open avenues for further cooperation.
Ambassador of Tajikistan to Pakistan Sharifzoda Yusuf Toirali met Federal Minister for National Heritage and Culture Division Aurangzeb Khan Khichi in Islamabad to discuss preparations and proposed the additional Lahore gala to highlight centuries-old cultural and linguistic links. The ambassador expressed eagerness for collaborative performances and exchanges and said he intends to invite mainstream provincial leadership, including the Chief Minister of Punjab, to attend.
Federal Minister Aurangzeb Khan Khichi welcomed the initiative as a timely boost to cultural diplomacy, underlining that events like this strengthen people-to-people ties and mutual understanding. Final dates for the Week of Tajikistan Culture will be confirmed after the conclusion of Lok Mela 2025, allowing for coordination of venues and participant schedules.
Secretary of the National Heritage and Culture Division Mr. Assad Rehman Gillani provided a detailed briefing to the Tajik ambassador on proposed venues, scheduling and logistical arrangements, signalling close coordination between Pakistani cultural bodies and the Embassy. Organizers say the Islamabad festival and the Lahore gala aim to transform cultural dialogue into sustained artistic collaboration.
The celebration of Tajik Culture promises to be a vivid showcase of art, music, film and heritage, symbolising renewed commitment by both nations to preserve and promote shared traditions and explore new platforms for cultural exchange.
