FIRST SABOTAGE BY PAKISTANI LOBBY OF AN EXHIBITION FOR GERMANY, THE FOMENTING DOUBTS OVER YEARS OF EFFORT OF CHUGHTAI MUSEUM.

FIRST SABOTAGE BY PAKISTANI LOBBY OF AN EXHIBITION FOR GERMANY,
THE FOMENTING DOUBTS OVER YEARS OF EFFORT OF CHUGHTAI MUSEUM.

The Germans were always interested in Chughtai. It started with meeting of Dr Heinrich Luebke, President of Germany, with the artist M.A. Rahman Chughtai, at the Badshahi mosque Lahore. President Luebke was presented two paintings by the artist,. and the President sent his Finance Minister Walter Scheel to the house of the artist, with a gold coin, in recognition of his artistic merit. On 17th January, 1975, on the death of the artist, the then President of West Germany, Walter Scheel, sent condolences on the death of the artist. A request for a State exhibition was sent to the President. Dr Klaus Terfloth, the German Ambassador, took the challenge of arranging such a show. First an exhibition was held at the German Embassy, with an address by the artist’s son on the occasion. It was a remarkable gathering attended mostly by international crowd.

A couple of Pakistanis infiltrated the show, and a ready to be bought journalist, wrote against the show in a newspaper. Dr Terfloth was badly shaken, and I tried to explain things to him. He lamented, “Why cannot you Pakistani be on the same page at least on the side of culture?” I was hosted at the German Ambassador’s house, but the damage was done. The Show in Bonn did not pick up pace. Although not given up, the Ministry was not in a position to finance the show, and we were not in a position to finance it ourselves. All suggestions failed. Some shameless Pakistanis were happy with the result. It was all in the interest of Pakistan, but these lobbies were anti-Pakistan itself. We stand alone holding steady the Ideology of Pakistan. No one helps us. We are grateful to Allah. We know the laws of Allah are in perpetual motion.

7 thoughts on “FIRST SABOTAGE BY PAKISTANI LOBBY OF AN EXHIBITION FOR GERMANY, THE FOMENTING DOUBTS OVER YEARS OF EFFORT OF CHUGHTAI MUSEUM.”

  1. Remembering Anis Mirza the brilliant journalist who wrote praise for the show. Very nice person.

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