Poor, aged artisans given Rs. 20,000 at Lok Mela
By Hina Kiyani

ISLAMABAD—Minister for Culture Dr. Ghazi Gulab Jamal Sunday announced additional amount of Rs. 20000 each for two most aged and as many most poor artisans who among others put their crafts on display at the 16 day-long Lok Mela here.
The minister announced this at the concluding ceremony of the biggest cultural festival of the capital where a mini-Pakistan pavilion is arranged annually over the last 25 years at Lok Virsa.
A large number of artisans from all the four provinces including Northern Areas and AJK displayed arts and crafts at their respective pavilions namely, Sindh/Punjab/NWFP/Balochistan/Choolistan/Northern Areas and Kashmir Pavilions.
“Lok Mela has projected Pakistan, its people and its cultural heritage at the global level,” Dr. G. G. Jamal remarked. The minister said the festival also aimed at sustaining as well as marketing arts and crafts of the people living in remote areas of the country.
Earlier, Lok Virsa distributed Rs. 100,000 among the artisans whose names were elected by a jury for the awards. The minister hailed the step to award artisans by Lok Virsa, saying a number of other organisations had now joined hands with Culture Ministry in its effort to promote cultural potential of the people.
“I hope this move will gain momentum and other organisation/people will join us in this journey,” he said.