She was speaking at an inaugural ceremony of painting exhibition titled “My Land-My people”, organized by Pakistan National Council of Arts (PNCA) in collaboration with Special Communication Organization (SCO) here.

The exhibition featured 100 breathtaking paintings and sketches by students of educational institutes from AJK and GB, selected out of thousands of art work submitted by youngsters from both the regions. The First Lady said Pakistan had been blessed with immense young talent.

“I am really moved to see these paintings by young minds. Such creative art gives an insight of how youth perceives the natural beauty and heritage of their country”, she added.

She said the society’s growth depended on its youth’s imagination. These gifted children deserved appreciation and promotion on national level.

“Events of such nature lead towards healthy competition and create excellent environment for artists to grow”, she added.

The first lady requested the public especially those living in these areas to maintain a clean environment and prevent the natural form of scenic beauty of these tourists’ places.

“We can only attract national and international tourism when these areas will be kept clean so visitors can enjoy the essence of natural beauty, she added.

Speaking at the occasion, the DG Special Communications Organization (SCO) Major General Ali Farhan said in quest to provide exciting opportunities to the people of remote areas in GB and AJK, SCO organized this exhibition which was first of its kind in Islamabad.

“This exhibition is a regular feature by SCO which would be followed by photography exhibition under the same theme. Primary purpose of this initiative is to acknowledge the talent of youth from remote regions and to showcase it at the national scene””, he added.

Prizes and certificates were handed over to the winners during the ceremony. College student form GB Muhammad Naeem successfully grabbed the first position of SCO award 2019 whose winning painting was later presented to Samina Alvi by DG SCO Major General Ali Farhan.

The paintings exhibited in this exhibition had bold and vibrant colors. The artists had not only represented the landscapes and historical landmarks, but traditional, culture and natural beauty of the regions were also exhibited through the brushes, pencils and crayons.

People from all walks of life including the participants, their families, art enthusiasts and media attended the opening ceremony of the exhibition. The exhibition will continue till July 26.