The Culture Journalists' Forum (CJF) in its meeting has hailed the untiring efforts for revivaal of local arts and culture. A meeting of the Culture Journalists' Forum was held here on Sunday in which the participants appreciated the efforts of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa culture department for setting up an endowment fund to the tune of Rs 500 million for the welfare of the local artists, poets and writers.
Supporting around 500 talented people in KP would prove a historic milestone towards promoting art and culture, the meeting maintained.
The forum said that it was in fact their long-standing demand from the successive government to set up an endowment fund for the artists, poets and writers which was met by the incumbent KP government.
The participants stressed the artist's community to put in new ideas and themes that could help bring peace to the region and encourage new talent to paint a soft image of KP people. "Azam Khan deserves great kudos for working hard to ameliorate the plight of the poor artists but also taking steps to exhibit their talent," the participants observed.
"It is for the first time in the history of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa that artists, poets, scholars and writers were given tremendous recognition and also a huge financial support was extended to them and in addition, an unprecedented endowment fund has been set up for their welfare.
We salute to the vision of PTI leader Imran, Chief Minister Pervez Khattak and Additional Chief Secretary, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Mohammad Azam Khan," the forum expressed. They said that it was also a highly commendable step to establish an arts council in every district as it was need of the hour.
The forum meeting chaired by Ihtisham Toru said that awarding, recognising and supporting financially; the KP artist's community would kick start with new life to play their due part in bringing peace to militancy ravaged province.
"I strongly believe that supporting around 500 talented souls as living human treasure would send an encouraging message to every man and woman associated with art, literature and culture. We term it a great achievement of the KP culture department," the CJF added.
Ihtisham Toru chief of CJF told the participants that the forum efforts for the welfare of the art and artists would continue and also would support KP government for carrying out its artists-friendly steps in the province. He said that artists, poets and writers felt secure and honoured after the KP government recognised their art for which they had suffered and still suffering at the hands of militants and terrorism.