Artistes, literati demand monthly honoraria

Bureau reportBy

PESHAWAR: Artistes and literary fraternity on Thursday staged demonstration against the culture department for violating the Peshawar High Court (PHC) verdict regarding the provision of monthly honoraria to them.

Led by eminent poet Sabir Shah Sabir, film actor Amaan, Faridoon, and Nosherwan Adil, the artistes and literati community gathered in front of the Peshawar Press Club.

They were carrying placards and chanted slogans in favour of their demands.

Speaking on the occasion, Sabir Shah Sabir, Faridoon and others said that the Culture Department, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, had stopped monthly stipends to them for the last two months, which had caused panic among them.

They said the PHC had also ordered the Culture Department to release the monthly honoraria forthwith but the department was delaying the matter.

They lamented that the Culture Department was indifferent towards the plights of artistes.

They asked the officials to implement the verdict of PHC in letter and spirit and release the pending stipends.