Daily Times

Culture is the actual face of a society that reflects its historic roots and the ideas, customs, and social behaviour of its people. Most nations use art, culture and heritage as the key element of their diplomacy efforts and to promote tourism.

Although, Pakistan is blessed with the diversity of culture dating back to 7000-8000 BC, from Mahar Ghar to Moenjo Daro, Ghandhara to Central Asian roots and its cultural and heritage treasure is one of the most diverse in the region, the contribution of cultural productivity to the national economy is negligible.

Pakistan’s art and cultural products could be the backbone of a creative economy and heritage tourism across the country if packaged well and vigorously marketed.

Back in the golden era, Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) and Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) had been the backbone of cultural promotion for tourism and presenting a softer image of Pakistan. Sadly, both are now simply orphaned organisations. Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) and Lok Virsa – the National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage were luckily left with the federal government, but with a limited scope and mandate; just an eye wash for the international community. Both institutions have 5-7 per cent of the total budget for their programming. Sometimes they receive special grants for special programmes.

Director Munir Ahmed said engaging youth in the cultural venues would help bring positive change in Islamabad

The last federal government initiated two of its finest policy measures; the first was when on the instructions of former prime minister Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif a National Cultural Policy was developed. It was based on the provincial consultations to embed their priorities and promotional plans. An artists’ convention in February 2018 was the second. The PNCA organised convention formulated a set of recommendations that were coupled with the National Cultural Policy when approved towards the end of the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) regime. Since then, the national document of international importance is waiting in the shelves to be converted into a national framework of action.

Development Communications Network (Devcom-Pakistan) organised a consultative meeting of the artists to develop an outline of the Cultural Action Plan in the pretext of National Cultural Policy already approved earlier this year.

PNCA Director General Jamal Shah presided over the meeting while Zeeshan Ali Shah Naqvi, deputy mayor of Islamabad, was the chief guest. The meeting was represented by different art genres, such as visual and performing arts, music, and art teachers and cultural events organisers. Renowned artists Naeem Pasha, Abbas Shah, Nahida Raza, Riffat Ara Baig, Shahla Moazzam, Zainab Omar, Zara Sajid, Waqar Azeem, Khalid Zia Siddiqi, Hanif Khan and Younas Roomi also participated in the meeting.

The artists deliberated on the shrinking spaces for the art and culture. They urged the PNCA and the Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation (IMC) 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 the PNCA chief to work for revival of art exhibitions in the country and to 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 a source of art and cultural promotion in the federal capital. Unfortunately they were axed by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) under the Supreme Court orders. However, the schools were given exemption while hundreds of guest houses have also taken stay order and hence operating from residential areas. Some of the foreign missions and international organisations are also operating from the residential areas. The artists requested the Supreme Court of Pakistan to exempt the art galleries too so that they could resume their art shows in the residential areas.

Naeem Pasha said that as these art galleries were a part of the artists own residences, they were subsidised premises for the promotion of art and a source for young and budding artists to showcase tier work. An artist cannot afford a commercial place for art gallery and that is why all the galleries in the federal capital were closed down, he said, adding that one or two galleries have continued to operate at commercial places but they are not showing art by young and budding artists.

Jamal Shah asked the artists to form a committee to prepare recommendations for the Supreme Court 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.

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

Speaking on the occasion, Devcom-Pakistan Director Munir Ahmed said engaging youth in the cultural venues would bring positive change in the capital city. The integration of resources available with different government agencies and private institutions would amplify the cultural identity of Islamabad, he added.

Riffat Ara Baig also suggested engaging the capital’s art teachers in different projects and art exhibitions to explore their talent and skills. She added that we need to focus on emerging artists and youth in the colleges and universities to culturally groom them with improved artistic aesthetics.

The writer is an Islamabad-based policy advocacy, strategic communication and outreach expert. He can be reached at devcom.pakistan@gmail.com. He tweets @EmmayeSyed

Published in Daily Times, December 23^rd 2018.