Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA), epic institution of promoting culture in the country, is teetering on the brink of disaster owing to alleged negligence and misadministration by incompetent high ups of the institution.

In flagrant defiance of Supreme Court (SC), appointments are being made on deputation. Bureaucrats are being appointed instead of hiring any professional and experienced person as head of the institution.

Faiz Ahmad Faiz was the first and Tauqir Nasir was the last man among the competent persons and ardent lovers of art and culture who were appointed chairmen of the institution.

Earlier, former president Pervez Musharraf had provided million of rupees funds for construction of new building. Several galleries, auditorium, open-air theatre and different halls were constructed at the new building. Offices were also set up in Lahore, Karachi and Peshawar.

However, hundreds of employees of this institution have been deprived of the facilities of pension and medical treatment and this anti-employees step has sent a wave of gross concern among them. They are protesting over this highhandedness but their voice is proving a voice in the wilderness.

Sources told Daily Times that such people were inducted to this institution, who had reached close to their retirement.

The employees said that the efficiency and performance of the institution was being affected adversely due to such appointments. Any officer who is appointed director general (DG) comes just to complete his tenure and no one takes interest in the problems facing this institution and employees.

Talking to Daily Times, former deputy director Mehmooda Ghazia said, “Several persons had devoted their lives for uplift and development of this institution, but upon reaching our retirement, we were told this was an autonomous institution and no facility like pension or medical was mentioned in the law for the employees of this department.” The employees voiced strong protest over it but no paid heed to the protesting voices,” she said. “I will appeal to the president and prime minister to look into our services and provide us the facility of pension,” she added.

When contacted, PNCA spokesman Ambar Shah said, “We are bound to comply with the orders of the ministry and only four people have been sent to us on deputation. Two among them belong to Information Ministry and one is from industries. We are doing our best to demonstrate best performance.” It may be mentioned that the PNCA has been tasked to promote Pakistani art and culture in and outside the country, hunting for new talent, extending financial support to the poor artists, imparting training to the people in all the genres of art and introducing culture of other countries to people of Pakistan.