Three exhibitions, a book launch, a radio media workshop, the release of the first joint Indo-Pakistan film were the major highlights of the week that ended on July 8.
The lost glory of Alhamra (Spain) and Istanbul (Turkey) was the title of an exhibition of 55 images taken by Professor Ashraf Iqbal, which was jointly inaugurated on July 2 by a Pakistani-based Turkish engineer Nael Ocal and Imtiaz Begum, a teacher at the Department of Computer Sciences at Lahore University of Management Sciences, Professor Iqbal has magnified the past grandeurs and splendour of both the Muslim dynasties of Spain and Turkey.
Out of 55 images put up at the exhibition 22 were taken in Istanbul and the remaining at Alhamra, Spain. It was the first solo exhibition of Professor Iqbal, who is also a poet of considerable merit. Both his poetry and images reflected his inner anguish and agony and hidden desire for the renaissance of Muslim Spain and Ottoman Empire.
The Multan-based artist Sadiq Ali Shahzad, displayed his sculpture pieces at an exhibition that opened at Alhamra Art Gallery of the Lahore Arts Council on July 4. Punjab Governor Khalid Maqbool inaugurated the exhibition in the presence of a large number of art lovers, comprising teachers, connoisseurs and media persons.
A self-taught artist, Shehzad has been making sculptures for a number of years and according to him, the source for inspiration for his art was Nature. The exhibition, which lasted till July 11, was co-sponsored by Bahauddin Zakariya University and the Lahore Council. Present among the attendees at the opening of the exhibition included the Punjab Council of Arts Executive Director, Principal of the College of Performing Arts at the University of the Punjab, Principal, National College of Arts and a number of prominent Lahore-based artists.
During his inaugural remarks, the Punjab Governor said that another art gallery in the province, at Multan, should be set up in honour of Sadiq Ali Shahzad, who had won wide public acclaim and recognition in the country. While praising the works of the artist the governor said that Shahzad had showcased the diversity of expressions from different regions of the country.
Talking to media persons Shehzad disclosed that he was a self-taught artist who received inspiration from a film he watched at the age of four in which a mother was shown singing a lullaby with tears trickling down her eyes. Returning home he sketched a weeping eye, which marked the beginning of his career. "Since then", he said with a glint of pride in his eyes, "I devoted my life and energies to making sculptures in pure Multani style".
On July 3, an exhibition of arts and crafts opened at Qasr-e-Behbood, Women Development and Welfare Centre in Lahore, which was inaugurated by Provincial Minister for Women Development. The exhibition displayed objects of arts and pieces of handicraft prepared by women, who were trained at the Centre.
The five-day Broadcast Media Workshop, organised jointly by the Institute of Communications Studies and German Radio Deutsche Welle was wound up at a certificate distribution ceremony held on July 6. Lahore City District Nazim portrayed Pakistan as a peace loving, tolerant and moderate country, where there was no dearth of talent. Broadcaster and trainer at Radio Deutsche Academy, Bonn, Peter Huellen conducted the workshop. The premiere of the film Awarapan, the first India-Pakistan co-production was held at a local cinema in Lahore on July 5.
Starring Indian actors and bedecked with hit Pakistani songs, major scenes of the film were shot mostly in Bangkok, Moscow, Hong Kong and Pakistan. The film has been produced by Sohyl Khan (Pakistan) and Mahesh Bhatt (India) and directed by Mohit Suri (India). It is being claimed in the local film circles that an Indian film Qafila will be released in Pakistan on July 27.
A group of Pakistani filmmakers including Altaf Husain, Syed Noor, Masood Butt, Pervaiz Rana, Aslam Dar and Sangeeta, who are opposed to the screening of Indian films in Pakistan have appealed to the President of Pakistan to ban the screening of Indian films in the country. On the other hand cinema owners in the country have welcomed the lifting of ban on the release of Indian films in Pakistan, as the local industry had not produced enough movies to keep their cinema in business.
The jointly produced action-packed movie, which was released in India on June 29, stars Emran Hashmi, Shreya Saran, Mrinalini Sharma, Rehan Khan, Ashhutosh Rana, Aashish Vidyarthi, Atul Parchure, Shaad Randhiwa, Purab Kohli and Salil Acharaya. A large number of members of Pakistan Film Producers Association watched the premiere of the film.
On July 3, former Chief Justice of Pakistan Mr Justice Saeed-uz- Zaman Siddiqui, speaking at the inaugural of Javed Hashmi's book Takhta-e-Daar Kay Saey Talay, praised apex court's orders for the removal of bugging devices from all courts, hoping at the same time that the lawyers' protest movement would succeed bringing a new and positive change in judiciary in the country. The inaugural ceremony held at the Lahore Press Club was attended, among others, by a number of frontline journalists and columnists, some of whom also spoke on the occasions.
A large number of Lahore-based musicians and lovers of the melodic arts have taken exception to ghazal singer Farida Khanum's participation in a concert held at Srinagar, the capital of Indian occupied State of Jammu and Kashmir. In their opinion, her visit to the disputed State and participation in a music program at Srinagar was not in conformity with the feelings of the people currently prevailing in Pakistan.
Fariha Latif, chief executive officer of Fariha Convas World recently said during a meeting with local art lovers, that the paintings of maestros of the likes of Abdur Rehman Chughtai, Ustad Allah Bakhsh, Shakir Ali and others could be preserved for the enlightenment of future generations. However, their replicas should be prepared at affordable prices for art enthusiasts in the country. Fariha Latif, it may said, is an expert in the reproduction of works of old masters as well as contemporary painters on canvas, paper and other materials.
On July 2, Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi received a delegation of Aga Khan Trust (AKT), which was led by its General Manager for Culture Luis Montreal. During the meeting the Chief Minister informed the delegation that a 6-billion rupees mega project for the rehabilitation of the old Walled City of Lahore had been launched by his government, which would help in beautification and also in highlighting the pristine cultural splendour of the city that would attract both domestic as well as foreign tourists to the provincial metropolis.
In his response the AKT Director General said that the agreement for cultural cooperation between his organisation and the Punjab government had provided a unique opportunity for strategic partnership, and it was the first of its kind in the cultural domain.