Cultural depts’ performance reviewed

Lahore:The overall performance of all cultural departments was reviewed at a meeting held at the Alhamra Committee Room.

The meeting was chaired by Punjab Information and CultureSecretary Raja Jahangir Anwar. During the meeting, the performance of the Lahore Art Council, Punjab Arts Council and all other information and culture departments was reviewed in detail.

High-ranking officials expressed satisfaction over the Alhamra Arts Council's performance. The great performanceof Alhamra is remarkable and should be followedby other institutions, said Raja Jahangir Anwar.

It was also decided that all the cultural departments should offer maximum cooperation to all mega cultural programmes. The meeting also considered the proposal for setting up an arts council and museum in 36 districts across the province, as well as setting up a directorate of museum and a souvenir shop.

Raja Jahangir Anwar said that all departments should contribute their best to the promotion of cultural activities across the provinces. He said that concrete steps should be taken to give exposure of the cultural values of Azad Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and the four provinces to the people.

Different programmes should be arranged for the purpose. He stated that under the Artist Support Fund, financial assistance had been issued to more than 1,700 artists across the province which will continue in the future.

Lahore Art Council Executive Director Athar Ali Khan said that Alhamra, with its limited resources, had presented record literary and cultural programmes for the public which would continue in the future.

The programmes are providing quality entertainment to the masses. It is the main goal of Alhamra to provide equal opportunities to children and young people in all areas of the arts. The meeting was also attended PILAC Director General Saman Rai, DGPR Dr Aslam Dogar and heads of all information and culture departments.