PESHAWAR, Oct 22: Nisar Adil and Shazma Haleem were declared the best actor and actress respectively for the year 2010 during the 17th PTV Regional Award ceremony here on Friday night.

The function held in the open air at PTV Peshawar Centre was attended by a large number of people, who appreciated the compering of Babrak Shah but declared performances by and large dull and boring.

Mr Nisar and Ms Shazma were honoured for excellent acting in drama serial Wrok Manzaloona, while Zeeshan Fazal bagged the best producer award for Hindko drama serial Dehleez. Khalid Khattak and Irum Sahar received awards for best supporting roles in the same play and Wisal Khyal that of the best singer.

Nazir Gul was declared the best musician and Rukhsana best compere for the year 2010. Khursheed Iqbal Khattak (writing), Bahadar Sher (naatkhwani), Hamid Ali (maintenance), Wasif Majeed (editing), Khairul Islam (information technology), Aftab Ahmed (set designing), Husan Zari (makeup), Ijaz Khattak (production of documentary), Asad Ali Naqvi (production of music), and Qazi Junaid Naseer (best production (magazine and children programmes) also received awards.

Though light rain turned weather pleasant, many criticised organisers for not inviting known singers, declaring the performances boring.

Naseema Shaheen, Hamayun Khan, Zek Afridi, Wisal Khyal, Fareeha Dil Raj, Ghulam Abbas Gul Dhervi, Tariq Khazarvi, Saima Gul and Nadia Khan sang their famous numbers but ostensibly, none of them impressed the audience. Lip-synching by singers also provoked criticism.

Majority of local senior actors and singers didn't turn up, while most of the comperes and singers invited were from Punjab.

Provincial information minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain, the chief guest, said on the occasion that the government had begun organising cultural events in the province to defeat terrorism. “The holding of cultural events in the open air means that we, the Pakhtuns, aren't afraid of terrorists and are committed to carrying forward the message of love and peace through music,” he said.

Reciting the verses of Abdul Ghani Khan and Parveen Shakir, the minister said love was the only way to win hearts and minds of the people.

“We have made it clear to militants that we aren't afraid of them and will continue fighting them until their defeat and elimination,” he said.

Mr Iftikhar said Pakhtuns known for bravery throughout the world won't spare those bombing mosques, markets, police, the army, women, children and elderly people.

“Those who lay arms and accept the government's writ will be forgiven, while those resorting to vandalism and terrorism will be dealt with an iron hand”, he said.