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Canal mela

begins today

LAHORE: Stage has been set for the "Canal Mela" being held here from March 26 to April 5, 2000 in connection with "Pakistan Day" celebrations.

Punjab Governor Lt Gen Mohammad Safdar (Retd) will inaugurate the festival on March 26 at 8.30 pm.

Boats carrying giant "Litup structures" designed by the artisans belonging to the Fine Arts Department, Punjab University as well as other cultural bodies have been launched on steamers for open exhibition in the "Canal Mela".

Parks and Horticulture Authority DG Kamran Lashari said here on Saturday that the Lahore canal would be decorated with colourful balloons to glorify the impact of "Jashn-e-Baharan" and the floats would depict the present government's resolve to promote patriotism at all ranks.

Special arrangements for traffic control during 10 days of the mela have been made so that inconvenience to the spectators, particularly, pedestrians would be averted and the festivities may continue smoothly.ÑAPP