Playwright Shahid Nadeem honoured

Eminent Pakistani playwright and Institute of Art and Culture Professor Shahid Nadeem has been invited by the International Theatre Institute to deliver the official message on the World Theatre Day 2020.

The event will be held at the ITI's UNESCO headquarters in Paris in March this year. The message will be translated in 60 languages and distributed worldwide. In their invitation letter, ITI Director General Tobias Biancon and Deputy Director General Chen Zhongwen said, " In view of your extremely important and essential work in the performing arts and your viewpoint for the audience, for the importance of culture, we are sure that a message of yours that is spread all over the world and is also published in newspapers, radio and TV, you could have a good influence and your message could increase the awareness of the people for the value and importance of theatre." Shahid Nadeem heads Pakistan's leading theatre group Ajoka. He has written more than 50 plays for theatre, several popular TV serials and the award-winning film Manto.

He has also directed plays for theatre and television. A recipient of President of Pakistan's Pride of Performance Award, Shahid Nadeem currently heads the film and tV programme at the Institute for Art and Culture, Lahore.

Tanners call on minister

A delegation of the Tanneries Association Kasur led by its President Mian Shah Elahi called on Provincial Minister for Industries and Trade Mian Aslam Iqbal on Thursday.

The delegation apprised the minister of problems of the leather industry. The minister assured the delegation of solving their genuine problems. He said that livelihood of thousands of families depended on the leather industry and the government would not let the industry to close down.