Punjab

Smog forces postponement of ‘Lahore Lahore Aye’ festival

Film industry stalwart Agha Hassan Askari's contributions celebrated

ASGHAR SALEEMI November 18, 2023

Peshawar is the 5th most polluted city in the country and 58 per cent of the air pollution can be attributed to traffic. PHOTO: FILE

LAHORE:

Festival “Lahore Lahore Aye”, organised by the Punjab Government, reached its peak with a diverse array of activities, only to be postponed due to the prevailing smog across Punjab.

The cultural fair offered Lahoris a chance to engage with a photo exhibition featuring renowned artists, music competitions among emerging singers, Putli Tamasha, the drama Aynakwala Jin, and theatre plays on Kashmir and Sufism.

Renowned folk singers Sain Zahoor and Sanam Marvi mesmerised the audience with their renditions of mystical words during the festival. Additionally, Lahore Arts Council Alhamra hosted a book fair, inaugurated by eminent writer and intellectual Dr Asghar Nadeem Syed and Executive Director Hamra Tariq Mehmood Chaudhry.

Despite the smog-related postponement, the “Lahore Lahore Aye” festival has resumed in Jilani Park, offering citizens an opportunity to partake in the festivities, witness vibrant colours, and savor a variety of foods. However, events at Alhamra and Walled City Lahore remain on hold.

Read Literature festival focuses on sustainability, inclusion

The Punjab Arts Council, committed to promoting culture across the province, has entered the second phase under the leadership of Executive Director Pukar Syed Bilal Haider.

The focus is now on the international recognition of Punjabi culture. Syed Bilal Haider recently met with the Chinese Ambassador to propose cultural delegations, student exchanges, and collaborative initiatives to strengthen cultural ties between both countries.

The Chinese ambassador welcomed these suggestions and pledged immediate action. Plans for a two-day Pak-China Festival in Lahore, featuring artists from both nations, were also discussed. The passing of Agha Hassan Askari, a luminary in the Pakistan film industry, has cast a shadow over the showbiz circles.

The 78-year-old director succumbed to cancer, leaving behind a legacy of successful films such as 'Khoon Paseena,' 'Heera,' 'Jat Da Kharrak,' 'Aag,' 'Ek Dojay K Leye,' 'Durian,' 'Talash,' 'Mela,' 'Sheer Dil,' 'Jannat Ki Talash,' 'Abdullah The Great,' and 'Teray Pyar Mein.' His 1975 film 'Wahshi Jat' set a new direction for the industry.

The funeral prayer, attended by prominent film directors and artists, saw condolences from Syed Noor, Shahzad Rafiq, Nasir Adeeb, and Chaudhry Ijaz Kamran.

Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Provincial Minister Aamir Mir, and Provincial Secretary Information and Culture Daniyal Gilani expressed deep sorrow and acknowledged the indelible contributions of Hasan Askari to Pakistani cinema.

In a statement that has sparked discussion, renowned actor Javed Sheikh expressed his stance against the slogan 'Mera Jism Mere Marzi' (My Body, My Choice).

Sheikh, employing sarcasm, asserted that the slogan is unsuitable for girls, suggesting it implies they can do whatever they want.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 18^th, 2023.