'Government keen to promote cultural activities in province'

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Information and Culture, Mian Iftikhar Hussain reiterated that the government is keen to promote cultural activities in the province, and sought the assistance of donors' in this regard. This, he stated while talking to a joint delegation of Cultural Journalists Forum and Artists led by Ehtisham Toru here on Sunday.
The Khyber Paktunkhwa, Culture and Information, Secretary Azmat Hanif Orakzai and Director Culture Pervez Khan were also present at the occasion. Other members of the delegation were Rokhan Khan Yousafzai, Bakhtiar Khattak, Jemshed Ali Khan, Humayun Khan, Khalid Khattak, Amjad Hadi Yousfazi, Sajjad Khalil, Amjad Ali Khadim and Inayat ur Rehman.
Mian Iftikhar said that the culture could not be confined to specific domain, which was covering all aspects of life, and stressed the need of great resources for the purpose.
He directed the authorities concerned to make maximum efforts for exploring all resources for promotion of culture and if possible, the help of donors should also be sought. The Minister reiterated that culture related people were our assets and the government would give them their due status and respect like developed world particularly our neighbour country India. He further said that for the purpose, the provincial government has started special programmes in honour of the legendary people.
He continued that the government was intending to extend cultural contacts with Iran, Turkey and Afghanistan including our neighbour countries besides exchanging cultural delegations.
The minister while appreciating the special programmes on the life of Pashto Films Legend Actor Badar Muner jointly arranged by the Culture Department and Cultural Journalists Forum, directed to arrange such programmes on the legend Pashto Actress Yasmin Khan and legend singer Gulnar Begum also. He said that programme in honour of the living legends would also be launched under the title "Aitraf" side by side arranging competitions and workshops in the fields of music, drams and literature.
Mian Iftikhar asked the culture related people to register themselves with the culture department at the earliest so as to form their elected body. He clarified that only registered people would be eligible for vote in setting up of the said body.