— Dawn
— Dawn

SIALKOT: Famous artist, painter and calligrapher Bashir Kanwar died after a protracted illness at a local hospital on Tuesday. He was 76.

He had taught the basics of painting and calligraphy to local artists for years. Despite lacking resources, Kanwar worked for the promotion of painting and calligraphy. His dream was to establish an art academy in Sialkot which was never realised. He was laid to rest in Babul Shaheed Graveyard with his unfulfilled dreams. A large number of people from all walks of life attended the funeral.

Though he was not awarded any national award, Kanwar was called the “Pride of Sialkot” among the local art circles because of his devotion to art.

In a conversation with this Dawn correspondent on March 1, Kanwar had said, “I have spent almost whole of life for the promotion of arts in the Sialkot region without any support by the government”.

He complained that his thousands of paintings would occasionally get space in arts houses for exhibition. In 2009, his work was displayed in Karachi.

His one-room ‘Bashir Kanwar Arts Academy’ would be full of his pupils from morning till night.

Kanwar is survived by two sons and as many daughters. He had written Kalma-i-Tayyaba on the seed of rice, besides, making paintings of Kaaba and Masjid-i-Nabvi on the seeds of daal, which gained him praises.

Born in 1942, Kanwar had also made the titles of most the newspapers and magazines in India and Pakistan besides logos of several factories of Sialkot.

Published in Dawn, August 16th, 2017

Opinion

Editorial

Disregarding CCI
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Disregarding CCI

The failure to regularly convene CCI meetings means that the process of democratic decision-making is falling apart.
Defeating TB
04 Nov, 2024

Defeating TB

CONSIDERING the fact that Pakistan has the fifth highest burden of tuberculosis in the world as per the World Health...
Ceasefire charade
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Ceasefire charade

The US talks of peace, while simultaneously arming and funding their Israeli allies, are doomed to fail, and are little more than a charade.
Concerning measures
Updated 03 Nov, 2024

Concerning measures

The govt must seek political input and consensus on the changes it is seeking to make and be open about its intentions.
Short-lived relief?
03 Nov, 2024

Short-lived relief?

POLICYMAKERS must be jumping with joy. At the close of the first quarter of FY25, the budget posted a consolidated...
Brisk spread
03 Nov, 2024

Brisk spread

THE surge in polio cases has reached distressing levels with a tally of 45 last reported, after two cases emerged in...