A soldier by profession, Fadhil Jamali Yousafzai, 70, first exhibited his paintings in 1991, at the Sadequain Gallery in Islamabad and the self-taught artist has since participated in more than 15 exhibitions in Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Canada and the United States.

Mr Yousafzai began painting in 1978, when he was in the Pakistan Army, and retired as a Lt Col in 1997, after which he devoted his attention to art.

He received the distinction award at the National Art Gallery in 1994 and the distinction award at the Graphics Art Exhibition on Pakistan’s 50th anniversary in Lahore in 1997.

Dawn sat down with Mr Yousafzai to talk to him about his work as an artist.

Q: What inspired your interest in painting?

A: I was good at drawing as a child, and I was inspired by the majestic Himalayan and Karakorum mountains, and the laks and fields in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the northern areas.

My brother, who is also a painter, runs an art gallery in the United States and saw my work and asked me to do more. I started studying painting and [studied] the works of senior painters closely, and then began painting.

My career in the army took me to remote areas, especially northern parts of the country, like Chitral, and I had the opportunity to capture and picturesque and striking corners of these magnificent mountain ranges.

Q: How do you feel about the future of fine art?

A: After being active in the fine arts, I realised the future of fine art is very bright, as many people choose it as a profession. When I started painting, fine art was not a profession but to satisfy inner feelings. Now, an artist can make a handsome amount of money to continue to produce creative work.

The government does need to introduce fine arts in schools and colleges so students can express their talent in the field. We did not get a formal education in fine art, and had to spend a lot of time learning by looking at the works of other artists and reading books.

Q: Is the new generation taken an interest in fine art?

A: The new generation is taking more of an interest in fine art. With the arrival of new technology, the new generation saw the development in fine art in other parts of the world, and has learned many new things and produced new ideas.

I will say, again, that introducing fine art at the school level will help the young generation do more. It will help students display their work at the school and college level, and improve their skills.

Q: What is your opinion on the preservation of art in the country?

A: I visited the art galleries of the United Kingdom, US and Canada, and I found that the government [acts as a patron to] artists and helps to preserve their work. However, in our country, the art work went abroad.

The government should preserve the works of masters, so the new generation can benefit from their national heritage.

Published in Dawn February 16th, 2017