AS the two-day annual All Pakistan Music Conference filled the night sky with music from the lawns of the National Academy of the Performing Arts in Karachi recently, many had reason to reflect on the great classical musicians and vocalists Pakistan has produced over the decades.

That these musical traditions have continued to be passed down through the generations testifies exemplary commitment, especially in the face of scant support by the state.

At Friday’s event, as bansuri-playing brothers Abid Ali and Sajid Ali were introduced, it was pointed out that while the former had played with the likes of Mehdi Hasan and Noorjehan, his sibling is contributing to Coke Studio collaborations.

Take a look: Brass band sets tone for 12th music conference

Hidden in this compliment — Coke Studio has not only produced music to critical acclaim but has also proved commercially successful — is a reality that has seemingly escaped the attention of policymakers.

Since the audience for classical music is small (and this is true for many parts of the world), artists receive state support; failing that, and driven by the need to earn, they perforce turn to other work. As a result, the true classical traditions become neglected and eventually die out.

This unfortunate process has been under way in Pakistan as well. And yet at no administrative level has much concern been evident. That it was once on the radar is manifest, given that institutions such as the Pakistan National Council of the Arts and the Arts Councils in various cities were set up with mandates that included supporting (financially and through the provision of performance platforms) artists whose work would attract low commercial attention, such as classical music.

In practice, though, efforts made by these organisations have come across as piecemeal and sporadic. Avenues such as Pakistan Television and Radio Pakistan, too, are no longer as hospitable to classical musicians as they once were.

Surely, Pakistan’s classical music traditions ought not to be allowed to die out simply because of inattention. Is it too much to ask policymakers to intervene?

Published in Dawn, March 9th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play