THIS is with reference to the reports ‘Alvi asks Napa to set up similar centres across country’ and ‘SHC orders setting up of girls medical college at Mohatta Palace’ (Oct 14). One is a good news, while the other is very disturbing.

That President Arif Alvi asked the National Institute of Performing Arts (Napa) to set up similar centres of excellence across Pakistan is definitely the ‘good’ news here. But the Sindh High Court (SHC) finding a new purpose for the famed Mohatta Palace spoilt the fun one was having after going through the contents of the former news report.

Both these beautiful old buildings are occupied by cultural institutions; music and theatre at the old Hindu Gymkhana, and a professionally run museum at Mohatta Palace. Both the buildings are cut out for cultural activities.

If any activity at any of these two places – or any other place, for that matter – is against the law, or harmful to the young generation, legal action against the same would be justified. But if the two venues are catering to culture and art, they should be encouraged and supported.

S.M. Shahid
Karachi

Published in Dawn, October 16th, 2021