LAHORE: A visual art exhibition by the Punjab Police opened at Alhamra Art Gallery on Wednesday, surprising many visual art enthusiasts with its impressive display.

Artists from various police units, including the Dolphin Force, traffic wardens, and female constables, showcased magnificent artworks.

The event provided a unique experience for art lovers, offering a glimpse into the artistic talents of police officers. Despite the typical tough image associated with the police, seeing officers engage as artists and passionately explain their artworks proved inspiring for exhibition visitors.

The exhibition, inaugurated by Inspector General Dr Usman Anwar, flanked by Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Kashif Anwar and Vice Chancellor of the National College of Arts Dr Murtaza Jafri, features over 100 artworks by 18 artists in police uniform and will run until Dec 29.

Mostly self-taught police officers demonstrated their artistic skills with a diverse range of works, including calligraphy, landscapes, cityscapes, and abstract art. Their pieces depicted historical monuments, village scenes, police operations in the Kacha area, places, flowers, and even Turkish cityscapes. The well-attended exhibition drew police officers, Punjab police jawans, guests, and general visitors.

Syed Zain Shah from the Dolphin Squad Force showcased artworks adorned with gold leaf work, depicting historical buildings. “I have learned the basics of this art, and my work is immensely admired by my seniors and visitors,” said the enthusiastic police artist.

Imtiaz Noorish, a traffic warden and artist, exhibited his calligraphy works, expressing his fondness for artistic expression since childhood.

Sharmeen and Mehreen, two female constables, displayed their acrylic artworks, showcasing the diverse talents within the force.

Constables Mashal Iftakhar, Minal, Tehmina, Noorul Ain, Hira, Afshan, Fazeela Amjad, and Rafia Khalil also contributed to the exhibition, presenting works ranging from historical monuments to Sufi dance movements.

Some of them said they learned visual art through practice and platforms like YouTube.

While the exhibition received positive feedback from general visitors, none of the artworks were available for sale, as artists did not provide price tags for their works.

Published in Dawn, December 28th, 2023