News Desk |
President Alvi made the statement while chairing the ninth steering committee for the federal government’s Artists’ Welfare Fund at the Aiwan-e-Sadr in Islamabad on Monday.
Noting that the basic purpose of the fund was to provide financial support to needy artists, Dr. Alvi said that artists are a valuable part of society. Many of these, he said, have rendered enormous services for the promotion of art and a soft image of the country. “Therefore, it is our responsibility to look after them at a time of need,” he added.
9th Steering Committee for Federal Government Artists’ Welfare Fund meeting was held under the chairmanship of President Dr. Arif Alvi at the Aiwan-e-Sadr, Islamabad, today to consider the names of 275 artists belonging to all four provinces for financial assistance. pic.twitter.com/pZEi1TdDCB
— Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) August 26, 2019
The purpose of the welfare fund was to help the artists and their families in times of c. It was also set up to provide financial aid to the artists who are inactive due to old age, adverse health conditions, or otherwise handicapped from accident or disease; as financial support to the artist’s family after their death.
The committee shortlisted 275 artists belonging to the four provinces for financial assistance, a press release said. President Alvi thanked all the members of the committee and philanthropists for their contribution to the resolution of the issues of the artists. Private members of the committee Dr. Ali Jan, Misbah Khalid, Khalid Anam, Adeel Hashmi, Atif Aslam, Roshan Khursheed Bharucha, and Abaseen Yousafzai were also present.
Artist Khidmat Card
Last year, the government of Pakistan Tehreek-I-Insaf was criticised by the artists community for not pursuing the project ‘Artist Khidmat Card‘ launched by former CM Punjab Shehbaz Sharif 2,200 artists suffered resultantly.
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“Under the scheme, artists, including those belonging to the realms of TV, film, radio, theater, painting, dance, music and calligraphy, who are above 50 years of age and are earning less than Rs.15,000 per month with an experience of 25 years, were to be issued the cards besides a monthly stipend of Rs.5,000,” said a government official while briefing about the scheme.
However, according to sources, several artists in the province are in a miserable condition as the project lies in limbo. Mastana, Babu Baral, Reshma, Matloob ur Rehman, popularly known as Zakoota Jin, are among the acclaimed artists of Pakistan who suffered miserably in the later years of their life due to financial crisis.