Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) Director General Syed Jamal Shah has said that the present government understands the importance of art for the betterment of society and that’s why the national cultural policy is to be announced very soon.

Talking to state-run media on Monday, he said the second step we should take is to develop a National Curriculum based on the cultural policy. He said the aim of the national curriculum is to give a national identity to individuals while appreciating and valuing their sub-national identity.

He said that a two-month long national exhibition representing all provinces including Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu Kashmir is in full swing at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA).

“The exhibition was aimed at paying a tribute to renowned artists including Iqbal Jafri, Mian Aijazul Hassan, Colin David, Saeed Akhtar, Ahmed Khan, Zulqurnain Haider, Mansur Rahi, Basheer Ahmed and Hajra Mansoor.” He said these artists are the Icons of Pakistani art and have contributed their best to the promotion of art in Pakistan, said PNCA Director General Syed Jamal Shah. He said that the 9th national exhibition is being revived as a regular annual event after a gap of 13 years.

He said that artists contribute to beautification of environment by making people informed in a subtle way, adding that it’s the art that has the capacity to do away with barriers and bring people together while celebrating their diverse cultural background.

“An informed cultured individual will never indulge in terrorism but rather opt for dialogue while appreciating difference of opinion,” said Jamal Shah.

Talking about China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Cultural Caravan, Jamal Shah said that Caravan which brought together Chinese and Pakistani artists from diverse background.

“My vision is to deepen relationships between Pakistan and China. Before we were geographically connected, now because of the cultural caravan we are culturally connected too and I believe such caravan should take place at least once a year.” He said that Cultural caravan was a joint project of Pakistan and China to promote dialogue.

He said that more than two dozen artists from Pakistan and China travelled from Hunza to Gwadar passing through different cities and performing at 16 different places along the historical Silk Road. The cultural caravan started its journey in Hunza valley on November 4 and concluded on November 21, 2017 in Gwadar.

Published in Daily Times, January 2^nd 2018.