ISLAMABAD - Hundreds of young artists are facing immense difficulties regarding the unusual delay in arranging a painting exhibition, thanks to the bureaucratic attitude of PNCA towards the matter. TheNation has learnt that hundreds of young amateur artists who had submitted their precious paintings to PNCA for exhibition under the title "Unveil Murree, past and present", to be organised by PNCA are still waiting for the commencement of the event. The contestants waiting for the painting exhibition for more than two-and-a-half months, told this scribe that PNCA, couple of months ago, had announced to organise a painting contest about Murree. The contest aimed at unveiling the famous and historical places in Murree from a historical perspective. "It was a novel idea and young artists took it with keen interest" remarked a participant wishing anonymity. "However more than two months have passed but we are unaware of the future of that exhibition", he lamented. According to the available details, candidates were required to produce four paintings of the historical places of Murree along with their real pictures to be submitted in CDs or DVDs. Moreover, they were also asked to prepare a detailed multi-media presentation about the history of Murree along with pictorial presentation. "This was a laborious task indeed which we achieved with toil, passion and zeal", observed an artist. The details further revealed that the young artists had travelled all the way from Islamabad to Murree to produce their laborious artwork. Contestants had used the expensive oil paints, watercolours, pen and ink techniques, pencil and charcoal, and mixed media besides framing of all  (four) paintings while the expenditure that was incurred on the preparation of such precious paintings ranged between Rs 5000, to Rs 10,000. The deadline for the submission of paintings given by PNCA was July 31, which has already expired, but the participants deplored that PNCA never announced or fixed a new date for the inauguration of the exhibition. Initially, the contestants were told that the exhibition would be held in the mid of August. Later, when contacted, the PNCA management informed that exhibition would be held in September. The patience of the youngsters was put to further test when they did not hear anything from the Arts Council and contacted PNCA again, only to be told that the contest would be held in Ramzan. Candidates maintained that the Arts Council's management had told them that they would be informed about the date of organising exhibition but they never did. "Later, when we contacted PNCA again, we were informed that the exhibition would be held after Eid", lamented a contestant. This reveals height of unprofessionalism, lethargy and bureaucratic inefficiency of those who are sitting at the helm of affairs, they deplored. The contestants further revealed that they have to pass through extremely irksome process to get any information about the particular exhibition. The PNCA staff keeps on transferring their calls from one official to another.  "They keep on moving us from one official to another in the name of connecting us to the 'concerned authority'. One wonders who is the 'concerned authority at PNCA" the contestants added in dismay. This scribe witnessed the similar irksome situation since despite repeated attempts the 'concerned authority could not be found at PNCA. The telephone operator told TheNation that a lady is incharge of the exhibition in question, who could not be connected to, despite numerous attempts. Contestants have demanded of the government to hold accountability of those who are responsible for such criminal negligence besides announcing the date of the painting contest without any further delay. "Such lousy approach towards art is intolerable, the higher ups of PNCA should intervene into the matter", they added.