Intellectual theft

Last week, many people’s attention was brought towards a troubling incident of intellectual theft. The artist Safdar Ali, popularly known as Saifi Soomro, revealed that paintings he sent to Frere Hall, Karachi for an exhibition in 2017 had popped during a scene in an ongoing drama. This is despite the fact that Ali had been told that those paintings had disappeared and could not be returned. This incident raises concerns about the ethical standards prevailing in our creative industry. Showcasing someone’s work in your projects and not giving them credit is a clear example of intellectual theft.

Pakistan, as a country, has still not accepted the ‘creative industry’ as a viable career option and does not respect the industry the way it should. Artists not getting recognition for their work further reinforces the idea that the 'creative industry' is not a viable career option and discourages future artists. To prevent such incidents going forward, production houses must credit each and every piece of art they use in their projects, whether it is a drama, a movie or even a music video.

Kasifa Batool

Islamabad