President stresses on need to promote art, culture and tourism

KARACHI: President Pervez Musharraf has emphasised the need of promoting art, culture, heritage and tourism. He said this while speaking as chief guest at the First Convocation of the National Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA) held at the Governor House here on Saturday evening. The President also awarded diplomas to graduating students of the NAPA. Sindh Governor, Dr. Ishrat-ul- Ebad Khan and Caretaker Chief Minister, Justice (Retd) Abdul Qadir Halepota, were also present on the occasion.
The President pointed out that for the last eight years our government in its tenure emphasised and laid focus on areas of creating recreational facilities, a look at our culture and heritage.
Citing examples, he pointed out that in the premises of Quaid-i-Azam’s mausoleum a beautiful park/ garden has been set up, NAPA was established, Bagh Ibne Qasim and Beach Park were created.
President Musharraf said in Islamabad a Heritage Museum was established which is visited by thousands of people almost daily. A world class National Art Galley has been established and this has been mentioned in the international magazines of repute.
He stated that we made a national museum dedicated to the people of Pakistan who sacrificed their today so that we may have a better tomorrow. This is dedicated to every Pakistani who contributes towards the country.
It has a Pakistan Day Museum attached to it and it is being developed these days. Daman-i-Koh has also been developed for the visitors.
In Lahore a “Bab-i-Pakistan” is being constructed in memory of the place Quaid-i-Azam first met hundreds of thousands of refugees at Walton. This will be completed by the end of this year and it will be a place to visit, the President added.
“All these are the creations that we have done for promoting the culture and heritage of Pakistan”, he said.
The President said that Pakistan is a very beautiful country and it can be of attraction to the tourists.
He felt that this is the area where the government of the future must focus—tourism, art, culture, heritage which we have tried to promote in the past.
The President said some three years ago we had sown the seed of this very institute of culture and art- NAPA.
He was confident that in the times to come not only this institute will stay on but would also flourish and improve with the passage of time.
The President pointed out that he was informed that NAPA is a specialised academy for music and drama which provides an opportunity our youths to pursue formal professional academic training in these fields.
He said as this institute is a pioneering one in Pakistan, we need to support and encourage it all the way.
The President assured that fundings would be available to NAPA from the government as well as the organisations for completion of its theatre.
He said the NAPA was also promoting the concept of fusion of music- the Eastern one with the Western.
The President also pointed out on the occasion that music is an international language.
In the past a stigma used to be attached to any person devoting his or her time to drama or music whether it was vocal or instrumental. It was considered wastage of time and the stigma needed to be removed as certainly this is an art and it has a place in the society.
The President lauded the efforts of the Chairman of NAPA and the faculty and added that NAPA will go a long way in generating a place for the artists in the Pakistani society.
He said he would back up and support such activities all the way.
The President pointed out that no institute of this kind can be run purely from public funds especially now that in Pakistan there is a limitation of fundings.
Therefore, he requested the private sector and the well- to- do people to contribute their maximum towards donations and endowments so that we can maintain a standard in NAPA and also introduce new subjects and take this organisation forward.
On the occasion, President Pervez Musharraf announced a contribution of Rs five million.
He also spoke of the government’s policy towards the promotion of art, culture, heritage as well as the recreational facilities in Pakistan. This had been ignored in the past.
The President said in the past eight years the government emphasised and focused on creation of recreational facilities.
President also gave away diplomas to the first batch of graduating students of NAPA.
The Chairman of NAPA Zia Mohyeddin presented the welcome address and pointed out that in the year 2005 President Musharraf planted a seed and today just three years later that seed has borne its first crop.
He said the establishment of NAPA has paved many milestones. It is the only institute that offers academic qualifications for students in the performing arts.
Zia said today on the occasion of the first convocation of NAPA he would thank the patron- in- chief of the Institute President Pervez Musharraf for making NAPA a reality.
He also mentioned the invaluable contributions of the faculty members of the Institute.
Later, the current students and the graduating students of NAPA presented live musical compositions.