Yet another culture policy has been announced by the Punjab culture ministerin the presence of the chief minister. Even this push is being touted as the ‘first ever’culture policy of the provincial government.

Details of the policy have yet to be revealed and have not been announced but from the reports so far it seems that it is a rehash of the various policies that have been followed in the near past. At the same time, the mantra is mouthed that the country or the province’s culture is very rich, but has, unfortunately, been ‘overshadowed’ by enemy propaganda. In the last two decades, the same press brief is being dusted and presented with a vigour as if it is a new policy.

In the last three years, the many information ministers have only succeeded in drawing up and announcing culture policies. However, before one got to know what it was, the minister was replaced by another. This rotation between Firdaus Ashiq Awan and Fayyazul Hasan Chosan has continued forquite some time now.

Soon after the emergence of the country, one could criticise the government for not having any culture policy. Later, no one could say so. Instead, it became a difficult task to keep track of the many policies that were formed or promulgated by successive governments.

In the past two years, the pandemic has hit the cultural activity in the country hard. The artistes, in particular, have been very badly affected by the lack of any programmes, concerts and plays. The condition of many artistes has become critical and they are in need of support. But the culture policy obviously has to be for normal times. The infrastructure of the state should be such that it facilitates the holding of cultural programmes and activities and lends necessary backing to the private sector.

Over the past two years, the pandemic has hit the cultural activity in the country hard. The artistes, in particular, have been very badly hit by the lack of any programmes, concerts and plays. The condition of many artistes has become critical and they are in need of support. But the culture policy obviously has to be for normal times. 

Pakistan did not long have a cultural direction except that provided by the radio and television, both state owned and run, till the time of Yahya Khan. This was thought to be adequate due to the many crinkles thrown up by religion and provincial particularities. The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) government was the first to take an initiative and have a culture ministry. The seminal work in this regard was done by Faiz Ahmed Faiz. He oversaw the formation of the Pakistan National Council of the Arts, and in it the Institute of Folk Heritage, the National Film Development Corporation, the Music Research Cell and the State Film Authority with the intent to set up similar institutions in the provinces as well. But the lack of time and opportunity cut everything down. The effort was given a new twist by the subsequent government of Zia ul Haq. Later,a full-fledged culture policy was announced by the government of Benazir Bhutto. It was steered by Fakhar Zaman. However, the government was sacked soon.

President Pervez Musharraf, who was keen on promoting a cultural façade of the country, came forward and invested a lot in the infrastructure. He was keen to promote and put forward a soft image of the country under the umbrella of his Enlightened Moderation. In the process, the government streamlined a policy. However, in time he, too, left and with him the policy. In the tenure of Nawaz Sharif, Pervaiz Rashid was able to push another culture policy and was about to give it a push when the PML-N government became wobbly. It eventually completed its term without the prime minster and the information minister.

The culture policies in the past have been slow to mature and get approved. Before they begin to take shape, the respective governments are gone. The next government then starts to formulate its own policy. Before things begin to materialise, the government finds itself on a hostile wicket and unable to take firm decisions.

Probably the same fate awaits the culture policy that has been announced. The government is already in its fourth year and predictions are that elections will be held before the five-year tenure of the government comes to an end. Even if it does not, the fact remains that the government is wobbly and not in the best position to take long-term decisions.

As in other fields, every government begins anew and reframes the policy. Continuity of policy and vision is thus lacking. Every initiative is a new start and the work previously done gets either whitewashed or ignored.

The writer is a culture critic based in Lahore