Tribute to a legend: Cinema Road to be renamed after Badar Munir

Cultural activities essential to combat terrorism: Mian Iftikhar.

PESHAWAR:

The Cinema Road in Peshawar will be renamed to honour the cultural services of Badar Munir, a Pushto film star. The announcement was made by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Information Mian Iftikhar Hussain on Wednesday on Munir’s third death anniversary.

“Badar was a legendary actor who attained laurels through his hard work,” Hussain said while speaking at a function held by the Cultural Journalists Forum and the culture department.

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Prominent Pushto artists including Asif Khan, Jamil Babar, Ajab Gul, Surayya Khan, Khiyal Muhammad, and film director Hidayatullah Khan attended the event, while Shah Jehan, Zardad Bulbul Arshad Hussain, Masooma Khan, Siraj Akbar and Akhtar Munir performed various Pushto songs and dialogues associated with the legendary actor. The event also screened famous scenes from Badar’s popular films, such as Yusaf Khan Sher Bano, Dedan, Aurbal, Adam Khan and Durkhanay.

The information minister said, “It is a good idea to hold such events to honour our artists and the government is also considering having such events to pay tribute to the artists in their lives. For this purpose, the government has also chalked out an annual calendar.”

The minister termed culture as an effective tool to fight terrorism, adding that such events present a soft and positive image of the country to the rest of the world. He also announced jobs in K-P government for Badar’s sons.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 13^th, 2011.