The overwhelming number of people at recent events, such as the Pakistan Super League’s final, the T20 series between Pakistan and West Indies and the Pakistan International Film Festival, is proof that Karachi has become a peaceful city, said Sindh’s governor on Wednesday.
During a meeting with Arts Council Karachi President Muhammad Ahmed Shah at the Governor House, Mohammad Zubair said the metropolis is set to become the centre of art, literature, the mass media and film events after the restoration of law and order in the city.
The governor also said cultural, social and sporting activities are being organised and attended across the metropolitan city on a regular basis without any hindrance. He recalled that until 2013, before the present government came to power, the city’s cultural scene was in a pretty bad shape, in addition to frequent disruptions to routine life.
He also recalled how prospective foreign investors were reluctant to come to the metropolis to do business because of the rapidly deteriorating law and order situation. Zubair reiterated that the present government has taken long-term steps to restore peace and ensure stability in Karachi bearing in mind the city’s importance as the economic hub of the country.
He recalled how the government launched a targeted operation in the city against terrorists and other criminals to restore peace, only after consulting with all the stakeholders. He said personnel of the law enforcement agencies rendered innumerable sacrifices during the operation.
He made the assurance that now that peace has been restored in Karachi, the government has been focusing on reviving cultural activities in the metropolitan city. The governor praised the role of the Arts Council, which had continued to host cultural events despite the deteriorating law and order situation and against all odds.
He said the Arts Council serves as the best platform to showcase and improve the talents of the youth of the city, adding that the council has been a nursery for several artistes who made a name for themselves later in their careers.
Arts Council Karachi President Ahmed Shah informed the governor that the council regularly hosts lectures and programmes that are attended by local and foreign experts of different genres of art so that every youngster having an interest in any field or discipline of fine arts, the performing arts or literature can have first-hand interaction with them.
Shah said cultural events being hosted by the Arts Council are immensely popular among citizens who have a keen interest in the art scene of the city. He thanked the governor for taking a personal interest in reviving cultural activities in the metropolis.
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