PESHAWAR: The Bacha Khan Trust and Khudai Khidmatgar organisation jointly distributed Eid packages among over 50 folk artists and performers at the Bacha Khan Markaz here on Saturday.

Speaking on the occasion as chief guest, Awami National Party secretary general Mian Iftikhar Hussain said that folk artists and performers were their national asset and they should be included in festive events.

He said that unfortunately the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government ignored the artists and its philistine attitude had rendered most of the artists and folk singers penniless.

He said this situation had virtually forced them to live in penury while there was no policy to ameliorate their plight.

Bacha Khan Trust distributes Eid packages among artists

Mr Hussain said that the ANP considered artists and musicians as a precious national asset and attached great importance to their role in the society especially towards building peace narrative.

He said during its own government the party had served the artists’ community to their satisfaction despite peak of militancy and kept the Nishtar Hall open for their cultural and artistic activities.

The ANP leader suggested that the United Nations had to play its due role in eradication of Covid-19 pandemic from the world, especially the developing countries, including Pakistan, saying the ongoing pandemic had played havoc with the lives of poor masses.

He said the powerful nations should form a joint team to manufacture vaccine jabs for provision to poor countries. He said that unless every individual was vaccinated the pandemic would continue playing havoc with people’s lives.

“ANP always remembers artists and folk musicians on festive occasions,” Mr Hussain said. Later, he distributed Eid packages among over 50 artists and assured them of an all-out support on behalf of his party which honoured their contributions.

Chief of Hunari Tolana Rashid Khan, chief of Awaz organisation Tariq Jamal on this occasion appreciated the move of Bacha Khan Trust and Khudai Khidmatgar organisation. Khudai Khidmatgar organisation director Dr Shamsul Haq was also present at the event.

Published in Dawn, May 9th, 2021