School of Design essential Tayyeba Aziz told The Express Tribune the senate of the foundation chose every single constituent school of Pakistan Institute of Fashion and Design (PIFD) Lahore arranged in Islamabad, Peshawar, Multan, Quetta and Hala will be shut down.
A constituent organization of PIFD, College of Design Peshawar was built up in University Town to offer various courses in expressive arts and gems outline to understudies in the city. Be that as it may, it neglected to draw in numerous understudies because of absence of notice and appropriate promoting endeavors by the organization.
Understudies trust the organization couldn’t work with high affirmation charges and nonappearance of grants, inn offices and different administrations for understudies.
Neglected sector
“The main reason behind its closure is the absolute dearth of interest towards arts and design among people of the provincial metropolis,” said one of the officials of the institution who was more concerned about his job as they were told to pack up.
Another official said since its establishment, no efforts were made to attract students – even the educated class today was oblivious to the existence of such an institution in the city.
Staff members said the institution did not hold any admission campaign in 2015 and now the teachers and other staff members were asked to resign and close the institution. Some of them warned they were left with no option but to go to court against the termination of their employment.
College officials said the faculty at the institution included respectable professors and senior artists and designers. “We introduced a number of professional skill training jobs for the first time in the city, helping to bring new talent and also polishing the existing one,” an official told The Express Tribune.
He added, “We were planning to include more professional courses to support the arts and craft industry of the province, however, the institution has been taken away from us.”
Another staff member told The Express Tribune the K-P government gave adequate importance to art and culture, but failed to focus on the development and maintenance of the institutions that fostered that vibrant culture.
They said in the absence of any institution, culture and tradition cannot flourish.
PIFD Lahore assistant professor Muhammad Umer said, “So far no official notification regarding the closure of the institution has been issued, however, all staff members have been given termination letters according to the rules of the institutions.” He added all equipment has also been shifted to the main campus. Umar added all staff was serving on a contractual basis.
He revealed they were told that there were only 13 students in the college in Peshawar who will be transferred to main campus in Lahore to complete their degrees. “We will waive off their hostel fee and provide them with other facilities,” Umer said.
Creative platforms vanishing
The city which has no art galleries now sees the closure of the only institute that offered some semblance of creativity.
In 2009, Frontier Language Institute created to preserve and promote languages was shifted to Islamabad.
The British Council closed its library immediately after the Cold War and later, American Culture Centre also closed down its library and subsequently the whole centre. Even leading bookshops abandoned Peshawar, taking with themselves public and easy access to art and literature.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 20th, 2016.
