Wife of renowned artist Mansoor Rahi accuses son of stealing paintings worth Rs 1bn

The artist's widow has lodged a complaint against her son for the alleged theft of the paintings.

The wife of renowned Pakistani artist Mansoor Ahmed Rahi has lodged a FIR against her son, accusing him of stealing her husband’s valuable paintings, estimated to be worth over Rs 1 billion. This shocking claim was made on Friday, nearly eight months after the alleged theft took place.

Mansoor Rahi is a prominent Pakistani artist and leading abstractionist painter. His teaching has significantly influenced the development of many notable artists in Pakistan. In 2008, the president of Pakistan awarded him the Pride of Performance Award in recognition of his contributions to the arts.

The Shalimar police registered the case under Section 380 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) following Mrs Mansoor’s report on Thursday. According to the FIR, the couple’s son, accompanied by six friends, visited their home in Sector F-11 in January. During the visit, he took his parents out for dinner while his friends remained behind in the house.

Upon their return, the son led his parents upstairs, but Mrs Mansoor heard noises coming from the basement. When she inquired, her son dismissed it as nothing. Concerned, she went downstairs and discovered that approximately 70 to 80 paintings had been removed from their frames and rolled up in seven to eight bundles. The FIR alleges that the son and his friends loaded the paintings into a vehicle right in front of her.

The theft deeply shocked Mr Mansoor, leading to his ill health, as the artworks were of significant sentimental and financial value. Despite the couple's attempts to recover the stolen pieces, they were unsuccessful. Tragically, Mansoor passed away on May 12.

In light of these events, she has expressed her intention to pursue legal action against her son for the alleged theft. She has requested the police to initiate proceedings to recover her late husband’s paintings.