KARACHI: Preserving cultural identity is as important as protecting national borders, Arts Council of Pakistan (Karachi) President Muhammad Ahmed Shah said at a special evening hosted for him by the Karachi Press Club (KPC).
“Whenever a society loses its culture, its foundations begin to weaken,” Shah said at the event organised by the KPC Literary Committee.
Recounting his journey from childhood in Nazimabad to leading one of Pakistan’s major cultural institutions, Shah said his father’s love of poetry, his university years, association with the Press Club and involvement in theatre had shaped his intellectual outlook and commitment to the arts.
He recalled joining literary circles as a student, meeting prominent writers and political figures, and opposing restrictions on freedom of expression during General Ziaul Haq’s era. Although he initially aspired to become a journalist, low salaries at the time led him to explore other fields, while his interest in literature and public discourse continued.
Shah said the Arts Council had once operated on an annual grant of just Rs1 million. Through collective efforts, he and his colleagues reformed the institution and expanded its activities, including launching the International Urdu Conference in 2008 despite severe financial constraints.
The conference subsequently paved the way for youth festivals, literary events, the Pakistan Literature Festival and the World Culture Festival, helping establish the Arts Council as a prominent platform for cultural exchange.
Shah said his vision was to promote arts and culture across the country. Arts councils had been established in Sukkur, Larkana, Mirpurkhas and Khairpur to introduce children to visual and performing arts, while all regional languages and cultures deserved equal recognition.
He described the Karachi Press Club as a vital platform for freedom of expression and stressed that disagreements should be resolved through dialogue rather than hostility.
Earlier, KPC President Fazil Jamili said Shah had transformed the Arts Council from an institution with limited activities into one of Pakistan’s leading cultural centres with an international profile.
KPC Secretary Muhammad Aslam Khan praised Shah’s role in promoting theatre and cultural activities, adding that the World Culture Festival had enhanced Karachi’s and Pakistan’s international standing.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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