KARACHI, March 12: The Pakistan National Council of the Arts is organizing a four-day national ghazal festival at the Arts Council from March 29.

The PNCA director-general, Raja Changez Sultan, told newsmen on Friday night that 21 singers would take part in the festival which would have a seminar on the last day.

“The seminar on the fourth day would highlight the role played by ghazal poets and music composers. The national ghazal festival will become a bi-annual event at which prizes will also be given,” he explained.

The director of PNCA, Karachi, Amin-i-Ajam, said that sometime back the PNCA had constituted a national executive committee for the ghazal festival, which was headed by well-known musicologist Saeed Malik.

“The committee had representation from all the areas of Pakistan. This committee auditioned or tested people

for around two months. While most of the singers chosen

for the festival are established performers, we have selected some new-comers as well,” he said.

He added that awards would be given to “best male ghazal singer”, “best female ghazal singer”, “best ghazal poet” and “best music composer”. He said that the PNCA had also instituted a lifetime achievement award.

He said that three judges would give the awards to winners, adding that the names of judges would not be disclosed to ensure transparency.

Mr Sultan conceded that PNCA, Karachi, had remained without a director for at least three years. He added even the current director was working without salary.

He added that the PNCA was organizing a ghazal festival to ensure that this genre of singing did not die out.

He said that Pakistan had cultural pacts with 68 countries of the world. “We can have an exchange of exhibitions and artists with the countries we have a cultural pact with,” he said. He said that Pakistan did not have a cultural pact with India and agreed with a questioner that it was a pity because both countries were culturally close to each other. But, he said, such decisions were made for political reasons.