ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: President Mamnoon Hussain has given approval for financial assistance of Rs 8.3 million to 40 deserving artists.
The president gave the approval while presiding over a meeting of the Steering Committee of Federal Government Artists Welfare Fund at the Aiwan-e-Sadr in Islamabad on Monday.
In his remarks on the occasion, the president said that the artists are national assets and it is the responsibility of society to fulfill their needs.
The president said that the artists, poets and writers are cultural ambassadors and play a significant role in promoting social and cultural norms of a country. He said that it is our social and moral responsibility to assist the needy in society.
On the occasion, renowned industrialist Arif Habib also gave a donation of Rs 5 million for Artists Welfare Fund.
The members of Steering Committee Artists Welfare Fund including Atta-ul-Haq Qasmi, Mustafa Qureshi, Muhammad Qawi Khan, Shahid Shafiq, Salman Alvi, Zeba Muhammad Ali, Asghar Nadeem Syed, Akram Dost, Arif Habib, Najeeb Ullah Anjum, and senior government officials also attended the meeting.