Release of endowment funds to KP artists in final phase: minister

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakht-unkhwa Minister for Culture Shaukat Yousafzai Thursday said that release of endowment funds for the welfare and education of the children of artists of the province was in its final phase.

Talking to a delegation of KP artists here at his office, he said that the government is committed to resolve the issues of artists’’ community on priority and taking pragmatic steps in this regard, adding that a handful of people wanted to create unrest in the country.

Shaukat said that corona pandemic affected the artist community and the culture department was well aware of their sufferings and would soon release the endowment fund for which process was in its final stage.

On the occasion Director Admin, Culture and Tourism Authority Mohammad Shoaib, Deputy Director Culture Amin Khan and delegation of artists comprising Prof AR Anwer, Dr Irfan, Ustad Amanat, Khalid Khattak, Zulfiqar Qureshi, Iffat Saddique and Abida Tabasum were present.

The delegation informed the minister about their problems and said that due to closure of stage and traditional songs they were facing critical financial issues and demanded a special relief package for them.