Artists Demand To Ensure Welfare Of Deceased Performers' Families

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Sep, 2021 ) :The artists' community on Monday urged the authorities concerned to pay attention to 'Artists Welfare Fund' with the objective to provide financial help to those performers' families who laid down their lives in the line of duty.

Talking to APP, stage artist Rauf Mirza said,"The purpose of the welfare fund was to help the artists and their families in times of crisis." It was also set up to provide financial aid to the artists who were inactive due to old age, adverse health conditions, or otherwise handicapped from accident or disease; as a financial assistance to their families after death, he added.

He said sometimes community got the advantage to avail the opportunity but mostly their requests were not entertained as per the criterion set under the Fund and were left unattended.

Artists Welfare Fund was a nonprofit service organization helping visual artists in need of temporary financial assistance during emergencies with interest-free loans, usually to help pay hospital bills, he added.

He also quoted the example of renowned comedian Umer Sharif that he had been provided with sufficient aid to be able to travel abroad after repeated requests to the government.

The world, he said, acknowledged the artist fraternity for their services but the situation in our society was deplorable where the artists had to beg for his welfare.