Polling day: Enthusiastic voters throng to cast votes

Ahmed Shah-Ejaz Farooqi panel contests against trio of Najmuddin, Tajdar and Amin

KARACHI: It seemed like some kind of festival. A large number of enthusiastic voters thronged to Arts Council of Pakistan, Karachi, on Sunday to participate in the elections.

Polling began late in the afternoon as the general body meeting got delayed by two hours due to lack of quorum. There were two rival panels - one belonging to the Ahmed Shah-Ejaz Farooqi duo while the other was the trio of Najmuddin, Tajdar and Amin. As many as 5,963 voters were registered. Members and supporters of both the panels showed enthusiasm. One group was shouting slogans such as ‘Moseeqi k farogh k liay Ahmed Shah ko vote karain [Vote for Ahmed Shah to promote music]’.

“The turnout is really good and we expect to sweep the election this time as we have confidence over our performance in the last several years,” said Shah, who is contesting for the seat of president. “We have done a lot for Arts Council and people have witnessed this place provide the essence of arts and culture to people. For the next two years, the members of Arts Council will witness some new positive changes as our spirits are high to work more and more for this place.”



Meanwhile, Muhammad Aslam Sheikh, who was contesting for the post of a governing body member from the Najm, Tajdar and Amin panel, was angry at a few people who asked him for a picture. “They support the other panel and were asking me to take a picture with them,” he said. “Don’t they have any shame?”

Commenting on the elections and his chances for victory, Sheikh said that Arts Council belongs to artistes but we have seen how, in the past, members here have mistreated Moin Akhtar, Umar Sharif and Amjad Sabri by not voting for them. He added that he is hopeful for his victory but everything is in the hands of Allah.

Sheikh also criticised the decision regarding increasing the tenure of governing body from one year to two years. “This is how people against the artist community will sustain their grip here,” he said. “Soon we will see tenures of five years.”

Ishtiaq Baig, a member of Arts Council and a businessman by profession, told The Express Tribune that he has great attachment with this place as he is very attached to literature and arts. Baig said that Arts Council of Pakistan is a great source of producing events that promote arts and culture for people who are ever ready to attend events. He added that Arts Council has no doubt been doing well in the past but more needs to be done now. The executive director of Arts Council, Nadeem Zafar Siddiqui, told The Express Tribune that the decision to increase the tenure from one year to two years was taken to provide more opportunity to the elected bodies, so that they can be able to better serve the council for more time.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 19^th, 2016.