KARACHI, May 29: The Sindh governor, Dr Ishratul Ibad, who turned up at the recently opened Koocha-i-Saqafat on an unscheduled visit on Sunday evening, approved Rs5 million for the cultural project. Accompanied by wife Shahina Ibad, the governor went around the cultural precinct, bought a couple of books, including Shahabnama and a dictionary, sipped lasi and had chit chat with vendors selling their wares.
Mr Ibad was full of praise for the Arts Council governing body, particularly Koocha-i-Saqafat committee chairman Saifur Rahman Grami, for organizing the mega cultural event of the city on a regular basis.
It is heartening to note that an improvement in law and order is accompanied by a gradual intensification of cultural activities in the city, especially in the Arts Council. Koocha-i-Saqafat will soon come to symbolize the city, he said.
Smoking a cigarette, the governor sat back and watched the skits performed by amateur artists on a raised platform. Mohammad Ayub of the Arts Council gave a brief introduction of street theatre. Impressed by the performance of the artists who improvised on the script to make a few light-hearted references to the governor Mr Ibad gave Rs100,000 to them.
And let me announce here that whenever the Arts Council governing body needs any help either about Koocha-i-Saqafat or any project all they need to do is just let me know. I will do whatever I can to help them out, he said.
The general secretary of the Arts Council, Aniq Ahmed, recalled that the Arts Council used to receive an annual grant of Rs10,000 from the Sindh government in the past. The Sindh governor, Dr Ishratul Ibad, first raised it to Rs1 million and then to Rs200,000. The governor recently upped the Arts Council annual grant to Rs400,000, he said.
Mr Ahmed also paid tribute to the single-minded devotion of Mr Grami in organizing Koocha-i-Saqafat. He thanked the governor for giving a go-ahead to the project of a cooperative housing society for the members of the Arts Council.
The district coordination officer of the city government, Fazlur Rahman, said that lately Karachi had been shrinking rather than expanding. He spoke about a number of housing initiatives taken by the Sindh government which would go a long way towards solving the accommodation problems of the masses.
Meanwhile, art lovers and bibliophiles had a great time at Koocha-i-Saqafat organized by the Arts Council of Pakistan in collaboration with the Sindh government on M.R. Kayani Road.
The road on which Koocha-i-Saqafat was held was divided into three parts. Those who came from the Arts Council roundabout first entered the art centre where paintings, specimen of calligraphy and sculptures were on display. The second section of Koocha-i-Saqafat comprised a book bazaar where a few booksellers offered huge discounts up to 33 per cent on sale of new books. Second-hand books were also available. Furniture-makers and artisans sold their wares at the third section of Koocha-i-Saqafat. Foodstuffs were also on sale.
KARACHI, May 29: The Sindh governor, Dr Ishratul Ibad, who turned up at the recently opened Koocha-i-Saqafat on an unscheduled visit on Sunday evening, approved Rs5 million for the cultural project. Accompanied by wife Shahina Ibad, the governor went around the cultural precinct, bought a couple of books, including Shahabnama and a dictionary, sipped lasi and had chit chat with vendors selling their wares.
