Observance of death anniversary of Miss Fatima Jinnah was one of the major events in Lahore in the otherwise more or less dry week. Fewer cultural events in the city during the week took place than sponsored in the previous reporting period.
The 38th death anniversary of Madar-e-Millat Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah was observed in Lahore on Saturday, July 9. Sponsored jointly by Nazaria-e-Pakistan Foundation and Pakistan Movement Workers Trust, the well-attended event was addressed by a number of prominent women parliamentarians and senior politicians.
The participating speakers recalled the services of the sister of Founder of Pakistan for the promotion of a democratic polity and values in the country. Chairman of the NP Foundation Majid Nizami recalled Ayub era, when dissent of all kinds was disallowed and it was Madar-e-Millat, who raised her voice for the restoration of democracy in Pakistan.
She took the courageous step of opposing the dictator in the first-ever presidential elections, which were rigged to ensure the success of Ayub Khan. Senior ML politician Ahmed Saeed Kirmani said that the Quaid and his sister spent all their energies for the achievement of Pakistan.
In the opinion of Muslim League MNAs Mahnaz Rafi and Bushra Rehman, Miss Jinnah was a role model for the women of Pakistan. Other speakers included MPAs Shaheena Akhter, Misbah Kaukab, Saba Sadiq, and Kashmiri leader Surriya Khurshid. Dr Rafiq Ahmed, former Vice Chancellor of Punjab University also expressed his views.
A rift has taken place among artistes associated with Pakistan film industry. After the mismanaged and controversial award distribution ceremony the film industry has been split into two warring factions. A new organisation with the title of Artists' Association of Pakistan (AAP) has been set up, which includes mostly those associates of film industry who were not happy with the way the film awards were distributed.
The associates of old association - MAAP - contend that there's is the only group, which can be considered genuinely representative of the artistes. Statements and counter-statements issued by the office-bearers of the two opposing factions were reported in the local Press during the week under review.
After his high profile marriage, in which the President of Pakistan and other senior politicians from the Punjab participated, Abrar-ul- Haq is reported to have resumed his melodic pursuits. On July 8, he took part in the recording of a music programme at the Lahore Centre of Pakistan Television.
Media reports, soon after his wedding, had indicated that he would not take part in any music concerts before his honeymoon trip to North America was over.
To revive the art of desi kushti (art of wrestling) the Punjab Tourism Development Corporation is currently mulling the idea of organising a festival in Lahore in the near future. The festival will include the Rustam-e-Lahore bout to encourage the indigenous style of grappling in the country. So said in Lahore the Punjab Minister for Tourism on July 6, adding that tourism festival was a step towards the revival of the dying art of wrestling.
On July 6 the marketing director of a local company arranged the KEUNE Demonstration 2005, an hair and fashion event, at which a hair stylist and technical expert from KEUNE International Academy of Holland demonstrated three different trends of hair cutting and colouring. It was perhaps the first event of its kind that took place in Lahore in which a European expert demonstrated different styles of hair setting and cutting.
The Mahogany Art Gallery in Lahore was the venue of an exhibition of wooden art pieces recently. The artists whose works were displayed at the exhibition included Nadia Hassan, Syeda Meryum, Jabeen Iqbal, Ambreen Zia, Tayiba Asad and Professor Aysha Akhter (partly reported last week). Various forms of art such as interiors and accessories, sculpture, bloc printed items, cards and silk painted apparels were included in the well-attended exhibition.
Geetoon Bhari Shaam was the title of a charity show that was organised at Lahore Arts Council on July 9 at which several known singers and comedians of the city performed to the delight of the attendees. Reports of vulgarities in theatre have once again appeared in the local Press.
The producers and a number of performers have been accused of spreading vulgarity among the people by including double-meaning dialogues and amorous movement of bodies named dances. The inefficiency of the employees of provincial home department, who are charged with the responsibilities of monitoring theatres in the province has allegedly been the major cause of spreading vulgarity through cheap theatre.
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