BEIJING: The 5th "Horn of Peace" Military Band Festival of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) kicked off in Beijing on Tuesday evening.

Military bands from eight countries, namely, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India and Belarus participate in the festival.

The Pakistani military band was the star performer of the evening which was watched by dignitaries from all the member states.

The opening ceremony of the 5th SCO Military Band Festival was held at a square of the Juyongguan Pass of the Great Wall in Beijing on Tuesday evening, which was followed by the first official performance of the festival.

The eight participating military bands gave a parade performance at the Beijing Olympic Park on Wednesday morning and will stage the second official performance at the Juyongguan Pass of the Great Wall on Wednesday evening.

The 1st SCO Military Band Festival was held in 2014, and it has become a cultural gala of SCO and a bridge linking the friendship between servicepersons of the armed forces of the SCO member states.

It is worth mentioning that, this year's SCO Military Band Festival has been joined by three new comers, and they are the military bands from Uzbekistan, India and Belarus.

Ambassador of Pakistan Masood Khalid and the Defence and Military Attache of the Embassy of Pakistan were present at the occasion.