RAWALPINDI: Rawalpindi Arts Council (RAC) on Saturday established cultural corner at its art gallery to pay tributes to the artisans of Potohar region and promote regional culture.

MPA Raja Hanif Advocate was the chief guest who inaugurated the corner. RAC Director Sajjad Hussain, former Director Waqar Ahmed, Deputy Director Muhammad Shakoor and Assistant Director Mohammad Suleman were also present alongside the chief guest on this occasion.

The event was attended by prominent figures from various walks of life and a large number of local artists. More than 100 artworks were displayed at the corner including papier-mâché and salt stone carvings of Ghandhara art.

Truck art work was also displayed in the corner. Cloth made dolls also included in the corner.

The culture corner features the works of master artisans from the Pothohar region. These include Gandhara art by Mohammad Shafiq Ahmed, truck art by Khalil Mughal, papier-mâché by Zulfiqar Ghazi, salt lamps by Talib Hussain, and doll-making by Fauzia Naheed. Director of the Arts Council Sajjad Hussain mentioned that the culture corner was established under the guidance of Executive Director Mohammad Tanveer Majid of the Punjab Arts Council.

The goal is to exhibit the crafts of the Pothohar region at a national level. The primary objective of the culture corner is to ensure fair prices for the artisans’ products, enabling them to sustain these traditional crafts and pass their skills on to future generations.

Raja Mohammad Hanif Advocate, remarked that Chief Minister of Punjab, Maryam Nawaz, was committed to promoting arts and culture across the province. He stated that the Potohar region is culturally rich, with its skilled artisans bringing global recognition to the area and Pakistan.

“Their expertise includes truck art, Gandhara art, papier-mâché, and salt stone carvings.

The establishment of the culture corner is a significant effort to promote the culture of Potohar and acquaint the younger generation with their cultural heritage,” he said.

He said that the culture corner will serve as a hub for local crafts, traditional music, folk dances, and other cultural activities.

It aims to provide a platform for local artisans and artists to showcase their talents.

RAC Director Sajjad Hussain said that the potohar region culture is date back to Budhism and the art work made from stone is famous across the globe.

He said that the RAC was working to exhibit the work of artisans from the region and in this regard, it planned number of exhibitions in coming days.

He said that the provincial government asked the art council to promote the soft image of Punjab through its art and culture.

He said that we invited youngsters in these exhibition to show the cultural assets of the region, province and the country so they would know their culture deeply.

Published in Dawn, January 5th, 2025