Daily Times

Artists from twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi outlined the cultural plan of action to practice and promote different art forms in the federal capital on Monday.

Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) Director General Jamal Shah, Islamabad Deputy Mayor Zeeshan Ali Shah Naqvi, well-known artists including Naeem Pasha, Abbas Shah, Nahida Raza, Riffat Ara Baig, Shahla Muazzam, Zainab Umar, Zara Sajid, Waqar Azeem, Khalid Zia Siddiqi, Hanif Khan and Younas Rumi also participated in the meeting.

The artists deliberated on the shrinking spaces for arts and culture. They urged PNCA and the Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation to facilitate and provide space free of cost to the artists from different genre to cultivate a cultural face of the federal capital. The practicing artists of the fine arts asked to the PNCA chief to revive the series of art exhibitions and provide space for theatre activities without any charges.

The artists mentioned that only five of them were operating non-profit art galleries in their own houses without creating any inconvenience to their neighbourhood. Rather, these galleries were source of art and cultural promotion in the federal capital. Unfortunately, they were axed by the Capital Development Authority under the Supreme Court (SC) orders. However, the schools were given exemption while hundreds of guest houses have also taken stay order and hence operating from the residential areas. Some of the foreign missions and international organisations are also operating from residential areas. The artists requested the SC to exempt the art galleries too so that they could resume their art shows in residential areas.

Naeem Pasha said art galleries were a part of the artists own residences. So they were subsidised premises for the promotion of art especially a source of promotion for the young and budding artists. Simply an artist cannot afford a commercial place for art gallery. That is why all the galleries in the federal were closed down. One or two decided to continue at the commercial places but they are not showing the art by the young and budding artists.

PNCA DG Jamal Shah asked the artists to form a committee to prepare recommendations for the SC and the government. He said the PNCA could only forward the set of recommendations to the concerned authorities with its endorsement. However, he promised to give due share of participation to the youth in the forthcoming PNCA activities of all type.

Deputy Mayor Zeeshan Ali Shah Naqvi said the Metropolitan Corporation would take every step to make the art and craft village, amphitheatres and other cultural places functional with the support of the artists committee. He said the corporation would come up to support the cultural action plan outlined by the artists. He also asked PNCA to support and facilitate the MCI to develop cultural hubs in the federal capital.

Published in Daily Times, December 18^th 2018.