Hello, India! Shaan-e-Pakistan is off to a festive start

Shaan-e-Pakistan seems to have come at an opportune time.

After much hullabuloo about perceived insults by movies and movie stars, here's an event that trying to bridge the gap between Pakistan and India, and it starts that effort with a tried-and-tested combination: good food and even better music.

'Aik Shaam Pakistan Kay Naam', the kick-off event to this three-day cultural expo taking place in New Delhi, treated its guests to a culinary feast prepared by Pakistani chef Gulzar and his Indian counterpart Osama Jalali, while Pak-India favourite Amjad Sabri delivered yet another soul-stirring qawwali performance.

In addition to Pakistani food and music, guests got a slight taste of Pakistani style yesterday, as the host Anoushey Ashraf cut an impressive figure in her Asifa and Nabeel ensemble:

And Javed Sheikh, seen below with the lovely Salma Agha, upped the celebrity quotient of the event when he dropped by:

The three-day event, which is organised by Huma Nassr whose label Braahtii has stores both in Karachi and New Delhi, aims to foster a more cordial relationship between the neighbouring countries for better trade in the future. A fashion show and two-day exhibition is now taking place, and a week-long Pak-India food festival is also on the cards at Eros Hotels.