Artist Welfare Fund: What’s the hold-up?

Pakistani artists fear that the government-allocated fund for their betterment may lapse altogether.

KARACHI:

They make us laugh, they make us cry. But when it comes to the sunset years of our nation’s performers, there is no one to wipe off their tears.

Time and again, stories and articles surface relaying the financial challenges faced by the performing artists of Pakistan.  However, not much is done to support artists facing physical disabilities and health problems.

So, when Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani announced the establishment of the Federal Government Artist Welfare Fund last year, with the seed money of Rs200 million, it came as a welcome surprise. However, no funds have been provided to the deserving parties till date and the artist community fears that the allocated funds may remain unused and may lapse when the financial year ends in June 2012.

High hopes and big dreams

When the fund was announced by the prime minister, a cabinet division steering committee, comprising bureaucrats and some artists, was also set up in order to ensure that the funds were properly utilised. A letter dated December 9, 2011, signed by Cabinet Secretary Nargis Sethi, was sent across to a group of artists informing them about the welfare fund.

The real problem

Although we tried to get Sethi’s comments on the issue, she was too busy to speak on the matter. However, Mohammad Saleem, Joint Secretary, Cabinet Division said, “We have not received any funds from the Finance Division as yet.”

The Finance Division was supposed to provide the seed money of Rs100 million for the current financial year 2012 and the remaining Rs100 million was to be provided in 2013. However, no funds have come through yet.

Artists response

On the other hand, veteran actor Qavi Khan who had received Sethi’s letter last year in December, was shocked to hear that no development had taken place. He said, “The prime minister was eager to support this welfare fund and wanted it implemented. However, I am unaware of the departments or procedural problems that are causing a delay.”

Regarding Sethi’s letter, Pakistani actor Rahat Kazmi, who had been made a non-official member of the steering committee said, “A month and a half ago, we wrote a letter in response to this letter to the cabinet division personnel. However, we still haven’t heard anything from them.”

An exasperated Khan concluded the matter with, “An artist never goes on the street to protest. Hence, you will never find any of us protesting outside. However, will anyone listen to our pleas and look into this matter?”

Published in The Express Tribune, April 18^th, 2012.