By Staff Report

Date:09-08-06

Source: Daily Times

LAHORE: The Punjab government is taking measures to promote regional languages and the construction of the 1.6-acre three-storeyed Punjabi Complex on Ferozepur Road (near Gaddafi Stadium) is almost complete, Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi said on Tuesday.

Presiding over a meeting of the Board of Governors of the Punjab Institute of Language, Art and Culture (PILAC) at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat, he praised the institute for promoting the Punjabi language, culture and art by organised research and upholding the message of love and peace by Sufi poets.

The chief minister said special attention should be given to developing Punjabi alphabets and a Punjabi lexicon. Paintings depicting Punjabi culture and Punjabi manuscripts would be displayed at the Punjabi Complex, he said, and the institution would make comprehensive programmes to promote creative, literary, artistic and cultural activities in Punjabi. People should be educated about these programmes and public participation should be ensured, he said. The PICAC would hold an international Sufi conference soon, he said.

PILAC Director Shaista Nuzhat gave a detailed briefing on the institute and the Punjabi Complex. The meeting was told that the institute arranged a Bulleh Shah Seminar, Jashn-e-Baharan, Jashn-e-Madhu Lal Hussain, a Hazrat Sultan Bahu Seminar, a Khawaja Ghulam Farid Conference, the Urs (anniversary) of Baba Farid and Sohni Mela, and was also promoting Cholistani culture.

The institute would launch a Punjabi magazine soon and research, language, publication, art and manuscript committees had been formed to help achieve the institute’s objectives.

Provincial Culture Minister Shaukat Ali Bhatti, Education Secretary Akhlaq Hussain Gillani, Punjab Arts Council Executive Director Ghulam Mustafa, Lahore Arts Council Executive Director Asghar Hussain Gillani were also present on the occasion.