Kech cultural festival celebrates Balochistan’s resilient spirit in Turbat, Pakistan
For a region often associated with violence, the festival offered an important counter-narrative of peace and culture
Originally published on Global Voices
Festivals are celebrated across Pakistan, but a recent one in Turbat, the heart of the Kech district in southern Balochistan, Pakistan, felt truly remarkable. Turbat is a city often mentioned in the news for violence, security concerns, and tension between militant groups and security forces. In the midst of that difficult reality, the Kech Cultural Festival became a space for people to express creativity, celebrate culture, and come together in peace.
Balochistan has also been at the center of Pakistan’s long-running “missing persons” crisis, with hundreds of cases of alleged forced disappearances reported over the years. Local and international human rights groups, along with the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), have often blamed state institutions for their involvement in these cases, though the state continues to deny such allegations.
Because of these factors, media coverage of Turbat and Kech is often dominated by reports of conflict, protests, and human rights concerns, which makes the Kech Cultural Festival an extraordinary story of peace, creativity, and community resilience emerging from a region usually viewed through the lens of turmoil.
A community-led event
For three days, from October 1 to 3, 2025, the usually quiet Kech Museum and Cultural Center transformed into a vibrant hub of art, music, and cultural revival during the Kech Cultural Festival.
Global Voices interviewed Altaz Sakhi, secretary of the Kech Cultural Festival Committee, over the phone to discuss the event. Sakhi said the festival was warmly welcomed by the local community. People attended the events with enthusiasm, appreciated the activities, and praised the festival as a positive and creative initiative for the region.
What made this festival unique, however, was that it wasn’t a government-sponsored event — it was community-led. People across the region came together, and women participated equally with men, which is rarely seen in a deeply tribal, often patriarchal society like Balochistan.
“We expected five to six thousand visitors per day,” said Sakhi. “But on the first day, 18,000 people attended; on the second day, 22,000; and on the third, more than 40,000. By the end, nearly 80,000 people had joined from Turbat, Panjgur, and Gwadar.”
Families, children, and adults also traveled from Panjgur — about 249 kilometers from Turbat, a journey of roughly four hours by car — and from Gwadar, located around 158 kilometers away, or about two hours by road. Many came from these distant areas of Kech to take part in the festival.
Engaging discussions
Participants in a session at the Kech Cultural Festival. Image by Allah dad Azhar. Used with permission.
The Kech Cultural Festival featured a range of sessions on politics, education, poetry, and other topics. One of the most engaging and widely appreciated sessions focused on the role of social media in the region. The discussion, moderated by Sarfraz Shah, a local journalist from Turbat, included guest speakers Sabukh Saeed, a media trainer from Islamabad, and Baneesh Bakhsh, the first Baloch female television host, who traveled from Karachi to participate.
In a region often affected by internet shutdowns and censorship, the session examined the influence of traditional and social media, addressing issues such as misinformation, disinformation, and online addiction. They also mentioned how social media can be used to promote local brands in national and global markets.
Shah mentioned in the session that such discussions are vital for improving media literacy and empowering local communities to share their stories more effectively.
Despite frequent internet shutdowns and mobile disruptions in Turbat, organizers successfully held sessions on how media can empower youth and promote critical thinking. “We wanted to show our new generations — Gen Alpha and Gen Z — the traditional music, poetry, and local games that had almost disappeared,” Sakhi said.
A celebration of art and culture
The festival featured nearly 100 stalls showcasing everything from books and paintings to traditional food and perfumes. According to organizers, visitors spent more than PKR 6.2 million (USD 22,000) on books and art, breaking all previous records. “Books, paintings, and fragrances are all connected — they feed the soul,” Sakhi added.
Local journalist Sarfaraz Shah emphasized the festival’s social impact in a phone interview with Global Voices. “In a place like Turbat, where internet access and freedom of expression are restricted, holding a media literacy session was revolutionary,” he said. “It was also inspiring to see women’s strong participation — there wasn’t a single report of mismanagement or disorder. Everything went beautifully.”
Traditional Balochi games, such as Esh’t Chooki, which is one of the oldest and most beloved in Baloch culture, were also revived during the festival. Organizers said they aimed to reconnect younger generations, particularly Gen Z and Gen Alpha, who have grown distant from their cultural roots under the influence of social media, with traditional games and heritage.
Maalid, another ancient and cherished Balochi tradition, is a form of dance performed to express joy, love, and unity. Historically, it has been performed during moments of celebration or as a symbolic gesture of affection toward a beloved, friend, or spiritual guide. These displays gave the younger generation a glimpse into the rich cultural heritage of Balochistan.
Performance in the night at the Kech Cultural Festival. Image by Allah dad Azhar. Used with permission.
“Even political rivals sat together in harmony,” Shah noted. “It was a message of unity and peace from a region often misunderstood by the rest of the country.”
For Yasmeen Ghani, a young visitor from Turbat, the experience was both overwhelming and inspiring. “On the final day, the crowd was so large that people could barely find space to stand,” she recalled during a WhatsApp interview with Global Voices. “One young woman I met had set up a small business stall and sold out everything — she hadn’t expected such a response.”
Ghani shared that beautifully embroidered traditional Balochi dresses were also on display at the festival. These outfits, known for their intricate handwork and vibrant designs, ranged in price from PKR 8,000–300,000 (USD 30–1,000), reflecting the skill, time, and cultural value invested by local artisans.
“Most of the food and art stalls were run by women,” Ghani added. “This festival proved that women in Turbat are not confined at home — they are creative, confident, and capable.”
For decades, the news coverage of Balochistan has largely focused on security issues. Festivals like the Kech Cultural Festival, which celebrate unity, peace, and a love of knowledge, seldom make the news.
Highlighting such events can offer a positive counter-narrative, challenging misconceptions about Baloch culture and the people of the region and promoting a culture of hope and resilience.