Sadiquain and Media

Open Letter to Pakistani Media Remembering SADEQUAIN or Not

 Al-Bab Rport

With utmost respect I would like to remind the editorial staff of Pakistan’s media outlets that they neglected to report on Pakistan’s greatest painter and poet Sadequain’s 29^th anniversary on February 10^th, 2016. The only two exceptions were Daily Pakistan and ADA (Architecture Design Art magazine).

On the anniversary date February 10^th one of the leading newspapers printed a lead story on the first column of the newspaper about the selection of some unknown cricketer in the upcoming cricket series.

In the second column at the top, the same newspaper printed a story about some Lollywood starlet being considered for a Bollywood flick.

Incredulously the first and second lead stories in the nation’s leading newspaper could only appeal to the intellectual mediocrity of the newspaper reading public.

By any standard, what Sadequain gave to the nation is unparalleled and unsurpassed. How can we as a nation not recognize his place in history? How can we ignore and not remember his important date?

Let me explain: Absent in the entire newspaper was any mention of the 29^thanniversary of Pakistan’s iconic painter, calligrapher, and poet Sadequain. In case we as a nation have forgotten who Sadequain was, here is a refresher: Sadequain is among only a handful of Pakistanis whose name and work is worthy of surviving for centuries. French art critics mentioned Sadequain’s name in the same breath as Picasso, Arab art critics declared him responsible for the renaissance of the then
forgotten art of Islamic calligraphy, and the book Tanqeed-e-Rubaipublished in India called Sadequain as the most important modern day poet of Urdu rubai.

Translating in the language we all understand well, Sedequain’s intellectual property in today’s currency is worth more than a billion dollars, which he gave away to the nation. There is no other example of this generosity. You see, with only a handful of exceptions, he never sold his work. Among the few exceptions are the colossal mural on the site of Mangla Dam and the murals which are now housed at the State Bank of Pakistan Museum.


In this day and age when the media can play a crucial role in transforming a society, are we to believe that Pakistani news media has stooped to tabloid journalism at the expense of national icons. 

Sincerely,

Salman Ahmad, PhD
SADEQUAIN Foundation USA
 

Needless to say neglect of Sadequain’s anniversary was disappointing.