Memorial evening: Tribute to artists who are no more

Obituary reference held for senior artist.

ISLAMABAD:

A memorial evening to pay tributes to a number of legendary stage and TV actors who are no longer with us took place at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) on Firday.

Eminent artists such as Moeen Akhtar, Babu Baral Mastana and Liaquat Soldier passed away within the last two months of this
year.

A number of senior artists including PNCA director general Tauqir Nasir, Kanwal Nasir, Yar Mohammad, Batin,William Pervez, Tahir Siddiqui, Masud Khwaja and Ibne Shazad spoke at the occasion, according to a press release by PNCA.

Tauqir Nasir said, “Eminent artists wait an entire lifetime for that one great role to set them apart from the rest. However, death is the greatest role they play, as that is what determines their stature among the living.”

Nasir said he had worked with all these artists, including Moeen Akhtar and Khayyam Sarhadi, but started his career together with others such as Mastana and Babu Baral.

Kanwal Nasir said these artists brought smiles and laughter in our world, a world which now is subject to stress and strain.

The speakers asked the PNCA to establish a benevolent fund to support artists and men of culture who need timely, live-saving medical treatment.

It was also suggested that Pakistan National Council of the Arts  honour these men by preparing stage plays to pronounce the stature of Moeen Akhtar, Khayyam Sarhadi, Liaquat Soldier, Mastana and Babu Baral.

The memorial meeting ended with distribution of certificates to directors of comedy plays staged during the ten-day drama festival at the PNCA stage.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 22^nd, 2011.