‘Witness to History’ - The News marks 25 years with an ode to contemporary art

Karachi

“The readers of The News have witnessed history! Started 25 years back, the paper was a breath of fresh air in the print media. It served as a breeding ground for journalists back then, and indeed remains one till this day.”

This was stated by Sarmad A Ali of the Jang Group of Companies while speaking to the press at a contemporary art exhibition – ‘Witness to History’ – organised at the Frere Hall as part of the newspaper’s 25th anniversary celebrations.

“We are proud to say that our competitors have followed the trend introduced by us,” he said.

“The 24 all-coloured pages, with different sections for sports and business and publishing the paper from three different cities was nothing short of revolution in the print industry. We have become a credible brand in a short span of time.”

With more than 100 art pieces of 42 artists on display, the exhibition was well attended by artists, diplomats and members of civil society.

Presiding over the event, Special Assistant to the Chief Minister for Culture and Tourism Sharmila Faruqui said the Jang Group and politicians played a remarkable role during times of dictatorships.

She congratulated The News on its 25th anniversary, saying that the paper successfully made space in the hearts of its readers. 

“The painting exhibition is a great gesture shown by the Jang Group as traditionally we have witnessed that contemporary art has always come up as a means of resistance against anti-democratic mindsets,” Sharmila observed.

She added that putting up inspiring artworks in a public space deserves appreciation.

A student of Mass Communication from the Columbia University, Faryal Yousuf, said that being an ardent reader of The News she felt excited to be a part of the newspaper’s 25th anniversary celebrations.

“I consider The News to be my first teacher in journalism; its investigative stories, its city pages and its editorials, are indeed a benchmark, and are looked up to by other papers.”

It was not only a moment of pride for its journalists, but also for its readers for hitting 25 years, she added.    

Curator of Spaces Gallery Zainab Jaffery said it was an honour to collaborate with The News for the exhibition.

The exhibition features artworks of renowned artists including Waseem Ahmed, Nauman Ali Syed, Abdul Jabbar Gul, Farrukh Shahab, Tariq Luny and Abid Aslam.

The exhibition will continue till February 26th.