Syed Jamal Shah assumes charge as Interim Federal Minister for National Heritage and Culture

Islamabad - 18 August 2023 (Adnan Hameed): Famous painter, sculpturist, social & cultural activist, film producer and director, Syed Jamal Shah assumed charge as Interim Federal Minister for National Heritage and Culture. After assuming the responsibilities as the interim minister for National Heritage and Culture, Jamal Shah held a meeting with Secretary Fareena Mazhar and other officers of the National Heritage and Culture Division. The minister was given an introductory briefing by the Federal Secretary and apprised him of the working mechanism of the Heritage and Culture Division. While addressing the officers, the minister said that he would work for the betterment and development of the culture and artist community in the country. He said he has accepted this portfolio as a challenge and would make all-out efforts to dispose of his duties with dedication and devotion. Jamal Shah was born in 1956 in Quetta, Balochistan, Pakistan. In 1984 he established the Fine Arts Department at the University of Balochistan and headed the department for three years. in 1985 he formed the Artists Association of Balochistan and became the first Chairman of Artists Association of Pakistan. His acting career has been littered with hits, as well as the famous mini TV series Traffik. Traffik earned nominations for six BAFTA awards and won three. The series also won the International Emmy Award for the best drama serial. Jamal also starred in the 1992 film K2, which was directed by Franc Roddam. In 2007, Jamal became the executive director of the Pakistan National Council of Arts. Out of the many initiatives that Jamal Shah has undertaken, undoubtedly the most engaging and socially resonant is the Cultural Caravan, which aims to record the shifting developments of the CPEC route and the local culture of the various areas that it covers. The Cultural Caravan, a collaborative effort with the Cultural Ministry of China, is a first-of-its-kind initiative that brings together artists from all over China and Pakistan in 2007. The all artists, literary and showbiz community is delighted for his appointment and expecting that he will play a vital role for further promoting these sectors and resolve the problems of people associated with art, film, tv, literature, culture and tourism sector.