The Rafi Peer Theatre Workshop (RPTW) has appealed to federal and provincial governments of financial assistance for organising ‘World Performing Arts Festival’ scheduled to be held at the end of November.

It is a brave step of the RPTW to put efforts for holding such a major event - World Performing Arts Festival - without any kind of sponsorship as the theatre was rocked by three blasts last year that put a dent in the confidence of the participating international performers and families who flocked to the venue along with their children.

The blasts also caused lack of multinational companies’ interest to sponsor the theatre. Now the RPTW is confronting severe financial crisis. No doubt the theatre managed to organise the Sufi festival despite a flat refusal from even the performers of the Muslim countries to participate in the festival owing to security concerns. It was quite feasible for the RPTW to buy their own lights, sounds, props and stage equipment together with this estate some 10 years ago but now owing to price-hike hopes of performers and organisers have shattered for arranging such recreational as well as cultural-saving festivals.

The RPTW that has been organising the festival for the last 20 years will be seen nowhere if the government refrains to provide support in such a crucial time when the RPTW have featured 83 countries and 168,000 artists from all over the world this year.

Talking to The Nation here on Sunday, RPTW chairman Faizan Peerzada said the worldwide financial crunch had made it difficult to organise the festival as no multinational company was ready to sponsor the event. He said the federal as well as Punjab government must help them out keeping in view their services for the country which they rendered by holding international art festivals and introducing Pakistan on the world’s cultural map.

Peerzada said he had written letters to the prime minister and the Punjab chief minister for financial aid but to no avail. “I have also pinned my hope on Governor Salman Taseer, whom I shall meet on Oct 8,” he added. Peerzada further said he would also hold second press conference in this regard on Oct 14 to update the media about appeal for funds.

“Senator Pervaiz Rashid, chairman of the special committee, is a heartily culture-promoter. We are also planning to meet him in this regard for seeking financial assistance as well as security protection,” he added.

Talking to The Nation Senator Pervaiz Rashid said the Punjab government was ready to provide maximum possible assistance in organising the festival. He said no doubt the Punjab Government would provide immense security protection to the festival, adding the security arrangements would more than their expectations.

Praising the cultural activities organised by the RPTW, he said everyone in Pakistan waited for this festival, as he himself was fond of such refreshing activities. However, the senator said that the RPTW should present their programme to the government what they intended to do this year.

Regarding the issue of financial assistance, Punjab Government Secretary Information Shoaib Bin Aziz said it was a simple issue as they should submit their agenda and demands first, then after evaluation the government would be able to examine and give its view point what could we do for them. It is worth mentioning here that some local artists including Taj Mastani, Saieen Zahoor, Surraiya Multanikar, Surraiya Khanum, Sher Miandad, Pappu Saieen, Mansoor Malangi, Akhtar Chinar Zehri from Balochistan and Zarsanga from NWFP had participated last year in the festival. As the performers from all over the world have flatly refused to come in Pakistan owing to security reasons, the Punjab government has intensified security arrangements in this regard.

{Source: The Nation}

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