Islamabad – An alarming revelation has surfaced regarding the ongoing annual Lok Mela, organized and administered by Lok Virsa in Islamabad, where open gambling is allegedly taking place inside the festival. The discovery has not only caused concern among citizens but also raised serious questions about the credibility of the government-run cultural institution. Every day, hundreds of visitors are reportedly putting their money at stake at a game stall in hopes of winning “prizes,” while in reality the activity clearly falls under the definition of illegal gambling, a punishable offense under Pakistani law.
Sources disclose that a seemingly harmless “game stall” has been set up near Gate No. 4 of the festival, for which Lok Virsa management allegedly received Rs. 200,000 in advance, in addition to a separate share agreed with the operators. Shockingly, the stall has been granted official status by the management, and a proper bookkeeper is present to record all entries and payments.
The mechanism of the game appears recreational but is essentially pure gambling. It involves throwing eight dice, and participants are promised prizes if certain numbers appear. The most attractive prize advertised is an iPhone, while the entry fee is fixed at Rs. 200 per attempt.
However, according to visitors, the entire dice system is non-transparent, and most of the time “blank numbers” appear, resulting in participants losing their money, which becomes the primary profit for those running the stall.
One visitor remarked, “This is outright gambling taking place inside Lok Virsa under official patronage. People are being looted and no one is questioning it.”
Legal experts say gambling is strictly prohibited in Pakistan, and allowing it at any public venue constitutes “gross legal and administrative negligence.” They add that permitting such an activity inside a government-administered festival is akin to providing official legitimacy to a criminal act.
Attempts were made to seek comments from Lok Mela organizers and Lok Virsa officials, but no official response was received until the filing of this report.
Citizens have urged the government to take immediate action and called on Islamabad Police to initiate criminal proceedings against both the operators of the gambling stall and those facilitating it under relevant provisions of the law.
