PESHAWAR: The Pakistan National Council of Arts (PNCA) in collaboration culture directorate Khyber Pakhtunkhwa arranged a cultural show at Nishtar hall here on Thursday.

The show drew music lovers from in and around the provincial capital. Mr Mashood Ahmed Mirza, director general PNCA, was the chief guest on the occasion.

Speaking at the event, he said the basic objective of a series of cultural events launched by PNCA was to boost true image of the country and promote cultural diversity leading to national integration.

He said that the art and artists in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were the worst hit by militancy, adding that the only effective tool to counter terrorism was to encourage cultural activities and bring forth new and old talent. He maintained that reviving intangible culture was fast fading out.

The DG said PNCA would launch a series of such events in collaboration with KP culture directorate. He said that an event to honour senior artists and singers hailing from KP was also in the pipeline. The exuberance, liveliness and overwhelming response from Peshawarites impressed me a lot, observed Mr Mirza.

Natasha Khan, a participant from a few families who attended the musical show, said that such events could help people diffuse mental tension and bring a few moments of jubilation to them, while Farooq Qazi, a young student, told this scribe that he belonged to Chamkani village some 10 km away from Peshawar city and had come only to attend the show.

Popular folk singer Zarsanga complained that her home in Azakhel Payan was still in ruins and said she was in dire need of money for its construction.

She added that she had just returned from France and Germany, where Pashtuns were living in large numbers, and they accorded her great respect but regretted that she had been neglected in her homeland.

I need only respect and honour and I feel disheartened when I see philistine attitude being meted out to the artists in our country but I still love Pakistan and its people, Zarsanga said.

“As soon I heard from someone in my village that a grand musical show will be held at Nishtar hall, I left everything and rushed to participate in the event. The cinema culture is dwindling there and there is no other source of entertainment in the city. Musical show are the best choice,” she said.

Mr Gurmeet, Mr Ravil Singh and Mr Sawinder Singh were three young friends tossing their heads in jubilant mood.

They were residents of the old part of Peshawar city and they had driven to Nishtar hall to watch the cultural show. “We never miss any show, especially Pashto music. I enjoyed songs of Zarsanga very much,” Mr Singh said.

Earlier, popular folk singer Zarsanga, Nida Faiz (from Lahore), Wagma, Gulraiz Tabassum, Ashraf Gulzar, and Wisal Khayal sang popular numbers while Ejaz Sarhadi and Gulab Afridi gave solo performance at Sarinda and Rabab instruments.

Noted artists Uzair Sherpao, Khalida Yasmin and Zardad Khan Bulbil performed a Pashto humorous skit which was based on the poor standard of Pashto filmmaking these days. A midget becomes hero of the film because he is the financier while a tall ugly girl is cast as heroine.

Nida Faiz a noted singer from Lahore however stole the show by singing popular numbers of Faiz Ahmed Faiz and also sang some other Urdu ghazals and folk songs and recieved applause from the audience. Adil Yousafzai conducted the musical show.

Published in Dawn, May 30th, 2014