Renowned artist and social worker Jimmy Engineer Thursday underlined the need for promoting and spreading the teachings of the great Sufis for effectively countering militancy and extremism.
Karachi-based Jimmy Engineer while talking to APP on his arrival here called upon the people from all walks of life in general and the artists community in particular, to utilise all their energies and resources, individually and collectively, for safeguarding, preserving and promoting national integrity, solidarity and unity, and ensure a brighter, moderate, progressive and forward looking Pakistan.
Jimmy Engineer, who firmly believes in the teachings of popular saint Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh and Sufi Barkat Ali, said that the message of love, brotherhood, peace, harmony and tolerance and unflinching faith in Allah Almighty contained in the teachings of all great Sufis should be followed in letter and spirit.
He opined that militancy and extremism in all their manifestations have taken roots only after the people had drifted away from Sufism to materialism and their faith in Allah Almighty, wavering a lot. The prominent artist urged that at the same time, there is also a dire need for forging and maintaining national unity and inculcating and promoting spirit of patriotism. Jimmy Engineer suggested the younger generations in particular should be apprised about the sacrifices and struggle made by millions of Muslims under the inspiring leadership of the Quaid-I-Azam.
Jimmy Engineer said that he deemed it as an honour of the highest order to be of any service to the nation and the country as he regards himself as an unofficial goodwill ambassador of Pakistan. He said he has been rendering services to promote the cause of the motherland for the last 35 years and is determined to continue rendering such services as long as he is breathing as a true son of the soil.
In response to queries regarding the artistic activities, he said his artistic activities are flourishing in different parts of the country, irrespective of the prevailing troubled situation. He said a number of young girls and boys are emerging at the art scene as painters, calligraphic artists and sculptors, which is quite encouraging. Jimmy said that among these emerging young artists, the most promising and impressive are Uroosa Ishtiaq from Karachi and Maham Gull from Lahore.
He said he was also committed to continue working for the welfare of the special children and to do everything possible for bringing smiles on their faces. Jimmy Engineer expressed said that mentally retarded, physically handicapped, deaf, dumb and blind children are very dear and near to his heart.
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