RAWALPINDI, (Parliament Times) : Twin Cities artists will not tolerate any political interference in the Rawalpindi Arts Council.We artists are a message of peace, we present a positive image of Pakistan internationally.Artists will not allow any political figure to rule the Arts Council.The artists recorded their protest against the ban on entry to the Rawalpindi Arts Council Punjab and appealed to the Chief Minister of Punjab Ms. Maryam Nawaz and the Ministry of Culture that if the doors of the Arts Council were to be closed to the artists due to the (alleged) intervention of the local member of the Provincial Assembly Shazia Rizwan,then the expenditures of Rawalpindi arts council should be stopped by the Punjab government , so that to open eyes of management of Rawalpindi art council on their illegal action.
Senior artists of Rawalpindi and Islamabad Saeed Anwar, Sheba Butt, Sapna Shah, Hameed Babar, Mumtaz Khan, Afzaal Latifi, Reha Ali, Arshad Khan, Anjam Abbasi, Saeed Anwar, Mushtaq Nadeem, Rifat Ali Qaiser, Noor, Sofia, Samira, Ali Shan, Khawar Ayub, Shahzad Pappoo, Waheed Minhas, and others criticized the administration of Rawalpindi Arts council and the local political leadership for the injustice done to them,Along with the prayer ceremony.They recorded their protest and told the journalists that our hearts are already saddened by the death of our dearest artist Sardar Kamal.A condolence reference was to be held at Rawalpindi Arts Council managed by renowned writer and director Asma Butt.When we arrived here, we were prevented from entering the premises of the Arts Council, whereas earlier we were allowed to do so.When we asked the administration, they said that orders have come from above that Asma Butt is banned from entering the Rawalpindi Arts Council.Local Member Provincial Assembly Shazia Rizwan has ordered that they should not be allowed to enter the Rawalpindi Arts Council.Due to which we organized the prayer ceremony of our late artist Sardar Kamal at Stadium Road Rawalpindi in the weather of extreme heat and depression.Everyone knows Asma Butt dedicated her entire life to the service of art.Will artists continue to be humiliated in the same way in our country? Wasn’t the Arts Council created for the artists?
The artists said that the Rawalpindi Arts Council would be ruled by local politicians instead of artists.Politics should be done in its own circles or Rawalpindi Arts Council should be used for political purposes.The government gives funds to the Rawalpindi Arts Council in the name of artists, yet we are not allowed to enter.The artists of the twin cities strongly demanded the Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and the Ministry of Culture to stop humiliating the artists.If artists are banned from entering the Rawalpindi Arts Council Punjab, then the arts councils should be locked.Those who eat funds in our name should be questioned as to which elements are fulfilling their orders. Who is the enemy of artists? We are citizens of this country. We pay taxes.
In this regard, when the well-known writer, director, producer and President of Dolphin Communication, Asma Butt was spoken to, she said that she has been associated for the past twenty-eight years for art. As an artist, I have always served my country Pakistan.In the field of art, the name of Pakistan has been enlightened at national and international level.I have no personal disagreement with MPA Shazia Rizwan. I don’t know why she has become an enemy of artists by making her appearance an issue.Ever since the new government has come, artists are not being allowed to hold any program including drama, music concerts in Rawalpindi Arts Council.She further said that if someone makes baseless allegations against me, I know how to defend them.The platform of Arts Council should be reserved for artists rather than for political purposes where they can easily present their artistic talents.