A cultural troupe from the Xinjiang province of China visited Pakistan this week and gave a wonderful performance here under the auspices of Chinese embassy. Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz along with his wife, Rukhsana Aziz, attended the cultural event on the special invitation by the Chinese ambassador to Pakistan, Luo Zhao Hui.
The province of Xinjiang enjoys a special place in the hearts of Pakistani people as it shares the common boundary with the northern mountainous region of our country. The majority of the people are Muslims and have common cultural traits. Till the recent, Pakistani Urdu films were frequently screened in almost all the cities of this province.
The film "Mera naam hay mohabbat", with Babra Sharif and Ghulam Mohayyuddin, remained a box office success for many years amongst the local people. Most of its songs were even played with its Chinese translation at public places. The Urdu language is commonly understood in various parts of Xinjiang province.
During the past quarter of the century, dozens of cultural troupes from China and Pakistan visited both the countries. Most of the incoming troupes from China hailed from the province of Xinjiang. Their excellent performance at different cities of Pakistan, still enliven the hearts of Pakistanis. The present visit of the Chinese cultural troupe is yet one step forward in strengthening the traditional friendship between the two people.
The premier Shaukat Aziz very rightly said that friendship and strategic partnership between the two countries has been playing a vital role in international peace and stability.
It may be recalled that the premier Shaukat Aziz possesses a special taste for literature, painting and the performing arts. Last month, despite his awfully busy schedule, he managed to view the wonderful paintings by the world renowned Pakistani painter and committed social activist Jimmy Engineer at the state of the art complex, of the National Art Gallery, in the capital.
So, that evening he enjoyed the exquisite dance and song performance by Chinese artists attired in colorful traditional dresses with folk songs based on love, fraternity and tolerance.
It may be recalled that in the past, arrangements were always made to facilitate Pakistani people to enjoy the performances by visiting Chinese artists. It could not be done this time, which is inconsistent with the otherwise close people to people contact between the two countries.
RECOGNITION OF A LEGENDARY TEACHER:
Pakistani people always respect, honour the people attached to the profession of teaching. This time, Professor Hugh Catchpole remained the center of respect and homage by his students, colleagues and contemporaries. In recognition of his lifetime achievements in the field of quality education, the government of Pakistan also bestowed upon him the Hilal-e-Imtiaz Award.
It may be recalled that the centennial celebrations, attributed to the late teacher, have been underway, both in Pakistan and India. Professor Hugh Catchpole (1907-94) was a great man and a legendary teacher who devoted all his life in imparting education to at least three generations in the Subcontinent. His prime of life was spent in Pakistan. He was the founding Principal of Cadet College, Hasan Abdal, one of the reputed institutions in the country that is famed for quality education.
Professor Hugh Catchpole started his career in the undivided Sub continent, teaching at the Royal Indian Military College in 1928. He also acquired proficiency in Urdu and thus taught it to his students, specially the pilots in the Air Force. He came to Pakistan in the early 50s and served Aitchison College, Lahore, as the Principal and, later on, became the founding Principal of Cadet College, Hasan Abdal.
He was famous for his devotion, dedication and commitment to teaching. He had developed so deep attachment to his pupils, that he amazingly memorised the names of each and every student of his institution. His students later on excelled in their respective field of duties, include Air Marshal Nur Khan, Air Marshal Asghar Khan, Sahibzada Yaqub Ali Khan, Air Marshal Abbas Khatak and many more.
He died on February 1, 1997 and was laid to rest at Cadet College, Hasan Abdal. Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz conferred the Hilal-e-Imtiaz on Professor Hugh Catchpole.
His grandson, William Catchpole, received the award from the Premier at a simple but impressive ceremony held on June 15, at the Prime Minister House. The Premier on this occasion highlighted the significance of the quality education for bringing progress and prosperity to the people.
Appreciating the life long endeavours of Professor Hugh Catchpole, the Premier that said our country and people had benefited from his experience and expertise. So his memory would always remain alive in our hearts.
THE SUMMER COLORS AT NOMAD: Nageen Hayat, a dynamic social activist and reputed cultural manager, as per her traditional style, again braved the scorching season and brought summer colors to her Nomad Art gallery. She called it 'The Summer Art show 2007', which was inaugurated on June 16 and would continue till July 16.
The visual extravaganza includes 18 senior and junior artists, representing a variety of genres, styles, techniques and schools of thought. They are Abbas Shah, Mashkoor Raza, Nahid Raza, Mehr Afroz, Zia Zaidi, A. Q; Arif, Mubushir Iqbal, Masood A Khan, Shahbaz Malik, Humera, Rabia Hameed, Sadia Hussain, Samina Ali Aftab, Atiqua Abbasi, Afsheen and Natalia, the Russian artist.
Abbas Shah is a distinguished sculptor of Pakistan. He belongs to a family of creative artists. His wife, too, stands as an eminent painter and teacher of art, and brother Shahtoon is a popular cartoonist of the country. Abbas Shah enjoys a stock of wonderful creative designs at PTV.
This time he participated in the visual show with two abstract sculptures. The four-dimensional wood pieces of art, apparently resemble the cactus plant. The cactus usually stands as a powerful symbol of life and its stark realities. Like Sadequain, Abbas Shah too tried to portray his perception of life. The sharpness and delicacy of the sculptures speak of the vision of the artist and his command over the technique.
Mashkoor Raza once again came up with strong drawings of vibrant horses, with anatomical beauty and charm. The element of the nude also adds a new dimension to his work. The monochromatic tones and his individualistic style create a mysterious effect. Nahid Raza seems to have taken undertook a significant leap forward since her last exposure.
She has developed a special taste for intuitional traits, portraying her structures in green symbolic tones. The coolness she creates in textural form offers a deep sense of the sublime to the viewers. Meher Afroze, as usual, focused on socio-cultural motifs and historical symbols in such a way that a lively reference could be established with the past and present, as a process of continuity for the people.
Zia Zaidi's paintings are a beautiful synthesis of cultural heritage, architecture with the added attraction of Muslim art symbols. His textural grandeur attracts the viewers. The rest of the artists did well. They, however, have a long way to go. They must persist with persistent, dedication and commitment for a bright future.
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