ONE of your readers has divulged in his letter recently that Gulbahar Bano was seen sitting at Malir Cantt checkpost, obviously in a miserable mental state. This paints a pathetic picture of heartlessness and apathy towards the country's artists, musicians and singers.

Our cultural heritage is dying and those responsible for its preservation are busy merrymaking and promoting foreign culture of disco and dance in the name of modernism.

Gulbahar Bano is one of the top ghazal and semi-classical singers in Pakistan and an artist of her calibre is an asset for the country. Her present plight provides reasons for soul-searching. It calls for urgent attention of the government, the Arts Council of Pakistan, NGOs, music lovers and the public at large who should come to her rescue.

It should also awake the conscience of those affluent medical practitioners that have love of humanity in their hearts. They should go out of their way to look for this great artist and provide her the best medical treatment to restore her mental health so that she returns to her world of music and once again wins the hearts of the music lovers.

I also appeal to the government, Arts Council of Pakistan and the electronic media to support artists, musicians and singers so as to make life easier for them. Please do not reduce them to a mental state in which they sit on a checkpost hurling abuses on passersby.

Mohammad YAMIN

Karachi