Artists play key role in promotion of national identity

LAHORE: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb on Wednesday said artists are a national asset who play a key role in promoting national culture and developing national identity.

She expressed these views in a meeting with film, stage and television artists here.

“Encouragement of creative thinking is indispensable for the growth of the society,” the minister remarked.

In the budget of the next fiscal year, Rs.2 billion have been allocated as the film finance fund while Rs.1 billion for the health insurance of artists, she said, adding the revival and development of the film industry was the “top priority of the government”.

The minister said promoting the positive image and true identity of Pakistan around the world was the need of the hour.

Films are an important means of highlighting a country’s culture, history, values, heritage and tourism sector, she added.

The minister assured to solve the problems of artists and redress their grievances.

The artists expressed their gratitude to the minister for allocating a significant amount of money for the film finance fund and artists’ health insurance in the budget.

They paid tribute to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the information minister for their efforts for the promotion of art and culture and the welfare of artists.