Daily Times

Senior members of Arts Council Karachi alleged that the council had been occupied by capitalists, people vested interests and non-artists for decades.

According to sources the current administration of arts council which has been in power for decades, had neither have an audit of funds in the institutions nor gone through the process of proper scrutiny in the council’s elections.

Commenting on the issue Senior Member and presidential candidate for the Arts council election last year, Mubashir Mir told Daily Times that the council’s constitution gives a very clear interpretation for the membership under which all those writers, artists, Singers, Poets, Producers, Naat Khawans, Painters, and journalists who had rendered outstanding services in their fields can become bona-fide members of the arts council. He said it is unfortunate that “real artists” were not being given membership in the Arts Council, where the number of “non-artists” was bigger than that of artists. All powers of the arts council had been handed over to the capitalists, while the genuine artists had no powers to do something for their own community.

Mr. Mir who is also the president, Editors’ Club Karachi said bluntly that as the election was conducted last year, a member of our governing body, Qandeel Jafry was attacked by the opposition group, so as a result we boycotted the election but the polling was continued despite our boycott, which was absolutely illegal and immoral. That’s why we call the ruling group as an illegitimate occupied group, he reiterated.

He further alleged that use of funds in the council had been non transparent and questionable despite the decision to conduct the independent audit of the funds every year by the well-reputed audit firm of the country.

While expressing his views with Daily Times, an author, well known columnist, senior journalist, an executive editor Financial Daily and the Secretary General Katachi Editor’s Club, Manzar Naqvi said, ” I have been working as Journalist and writer since 1980. I am the writer of three books and have written articles for the national leading newspapers.” I had applied for the the membership of arts council in 2010 and submitted a pay order. I have not yet been granted membership and not even received any reply from the council. The receipt of the submitted pay order I still have today, he added.

As per details so many artists, poets and senior journalists have applied for membership but they haven’t been awarded membership as they may be hurdles for capitalist group in future.

In the context of the whole situation, the Daily Times contacted Ahmed Shah, President Arts Council Karachi to find out the position of the currently ruling body of the council. He categorically denied the allegations against him, saying that every year before the council’s election, an organized propaganda is launched against him by some biased elements. Adopting his comprehensive stance he told that he had taken commendable steps without any distinction for the benefits of artists and council and those who spoke against him were infect the enemies of arts.