The federal capital has grand mosques, bustling bazaars and restaurants in abundance, but there is no cinema and theatre to entertain the 1.8 million residents, except the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA).
Islamabad’s four cinema houses including Melody Cinema at Melody Market, Kohsar Cinema in Sector G-7 and two NAFDEC cinemas on Jinnah Avenue Blue Area have been non-functional for more than eight years, while the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has yet to execute its plans to construct Cinepax and other entertainment complexes even after the passage of four years.
In this scenario, the PNCA is the only place, which provides leisure opportunities to the entertainment-starved residents of Islamabad with a message of hope, love, and tolerance showcasing a soft image of Pakistan through visual and performing arts.
According to the official annual ‘Activity Report’ published, the council has organised a number of national level programmes not only in the federal capital but also in other cities from January to June, 2011.
It started off the year in a grand style with ‘Ten-Day Drama Festival’ followed by five-day ‘Japanese Calendar Exhibition’, ‘Sham-e-Faiz’ at Shakir Ali Museum Lahore, ‘’Talent Hunt Workshop’ and ‘Tribute paid to Faiz Ahmed Faiz’ in January.
The schedule for February included ‘Kashmir Solidarity Day’ in Lahore and Islamabad, ‘An evening with Ustad Fateh Ali Khan and Rustam Fateh Ali Khan’, cultural week of the Islamic Republic of Iran, ‘President Zardari’s tributes to Faiz Ahmed Faiz’, ‘Miniature Exhibition by five artists from NCA Rawalpindi Campus, ‘Mehfil-e-Milaad’, ‘Concert of Italian Musician Marco Gilberti (pianist) and Rosalino Cardile (tenor)’, ‘print making workshop’, ‘Flight of Fancy’ exhibition by Ragnini Upadhyay Grela form Nepal and Irshad Salim from USA.
In March, the PNCA organised an event marking the birthday of Prof Shakir Ali besides ‘Tribute to Tasawwur Khanum’, ‘Action Reaction: Tribute to Qavi Khan’, Lecture by Azra and Peter Meadows from Scotland’, a month-long (March 10 to April 10) Japanese Cultural Week, and the Pakistan Day celebrations at Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi.
Other activities held during the abovementioned period were:
April:
Classical musical evening with Ustad Shafqat Salamat Ali Khan, ‘Geometry and Proportion in Design – Lecture by Nargis Khalid’, ‘NCA Art Work Exhibition’, Indonesian Cultural Week’, and ‘Pottery Workshop’.
May:
‘Tribute to Iftikhar Qaisar’, ‘Celebration of 60th Anniversary of Pak-China Diplomatic Relations’, calligraphy exhibition ‘Dot To Design’, 10-day Drama Festival, ‘Sculpture Workshop’, to Painter Syed Imam Ali’, an evening with Fareeha Pervez and Ali Abbas, two-day ‘Talent Hunt Competition’ and condolence reference in memory of Moeen Akhtar, Khayyam Sarhadi, Mastana, Babbu Baral, and Jamil Fakhri’, ‘Pushto Comedy Show’, ‘Tribute.
June:
‘Tribute to Tufail Niazi’, talk and presentation by Salman Ahmed on Sadequain, ‘Tribute to A Hameed’, ‘Tribute to Allah Ditta Lonaywala’, ‘Qawali Festival’, summer art classes for children, music classes from June 15 to August 15, a tribute to Shakeel by staging a play ‘Us Gali Na Javeen’, ‘Bithak with Raheem Shah, Moon and Fareeha’ and ‘Ghazal Festival’.
The PNCA also organised stage dramas, painting and photo exhibitions, musical shows, Sufi Aman Mela, Ghazal Festival, Baithak, puppet shows, cultural troupes to foreign countries, video productions and lectures. Many foreign delegations are also visiting the PNCA on quite a regular basis.
Talking to Pakistan Today, PNCA Director General Tauqir Nasir said the affairs of the council had been successfully run since he took charge as its chief, but much still remained to be done for promoting of art and culture, as it was a vital tool to spread the message of peace and tolerance.
“We organise hundreds of activities each year, give fillip to theatre and acting, writing of plays for children and adults, and promote visual arts by ensuring the participations of artists, both young and old, as well as arrange regular exhibitions of their art products,” Nasir said.
Talking about the National Art Gallery (NAG), he said more than 400 masterpieces, paintings, sculptures, woodcarving, calligraphy, in addition to several hundreds more of master art pieces were presently being showcased. “All of them are well cared for, periodically inspected, and conserved accordingly to internationally prescribed process,” he said.
“We are highlighting a brighter and softer image of Pakistan all over the world through art and artists.
The foes of Pakistan have tarnished its true image, and together we will correct it to tell the world that we are a peace loving country,” said Nasir.
He said the PNCA also excelled in musical performances and music theatre and was looking after ailing and sick actors, musicians, sculptors, and thespians.
“Children and young generation are taken on board in our cultural activities. They are encouraged to draw, sing, and act in plays,” Nasir concluded, adding the PNCA’s work was recognised internationally.