As an art lover, I keep surfing website of Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) to find out what programmes and exhibitions are upcoming at the National Art Gallery.
The other day, while doing so, I just clicked on” Job” only to my great surprise to find vacancy announcement for no less a post than the Director General of the PNCA. I was surprised to see this because as a regular visitor to there, I was fully aware that incumbent Director General is still there and performing his duties. It said the maximum age limit is 63 years.
The advertisement on the subject has not so far been published in the newspapers to the best of my knowledge.
Reports are also rampant in the local artists circles that the Minister Incharge, who hails from Lahore and is riding in two boats as Minister of Education and National History and Literary Heritage Division, is interested to induct his elderly educationist-cum-artist lady also from Lahore in the top slot of the PNCA. This will amount to nepotism and favouritism to say the least.
Quite obviously in such a short time of couple of weeks or so, it is rather difficult to find a suitable and fully qualified person . There should be a long drawn process for picking up the right person for the right job and not committing some blunder in a hurried manner.
As an art lover and well-wisher of PNCA and also not holding any brief for Syed Jamal Shah, it is suggested that the incumbent DG should be given extension only till such time that a suitable person is found without promoting nepotism for three years top position on contract.
SEEMI N.HANIF,
Islamabad.