Lok Virsa pays homage to Rauf khalid.

ISLAMABAD, March 30, 2012 (Frontier Star): A condolence reference in honour of famous TV & film actor, playwright, director, intellectual, painter and cultural personality Rauf Khalid was organized here at Shakarparian on Thursday. The event was held under the aegis of Lok Virsa (National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage) and NGO Aina. Rauf Khalid died on 24 November 2011, aged 58, in a traffic accident near Sheikhupura as he was coming back to Islamabad from Lahore via motorway. Federal Minister for Information & Broadcasting Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan presided over the reference whereas Mian Iftikhar Hussain, Minister for Information & Culture, Government of Khyber Pakhtoonkhaw and Senator Mrs. Rubina Khalid attended as guests of honour. Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan paid rich tributes to late Rauf Khalid for his meritorious contribution in the field of culture, TV drama and production. Minister said Rauf Khalid was a great human being. He truly served the nation where he found opportunity. His services cannot be forgotten. We, the Pakistanis have a proud of people like Rauf Khalid. Mian Iftikhar Hussain, provincial minister for information & culture also lauded the services of Rauf Khalid towards promotion and preservation of culture, arts, crafts, music and folk heritage of Khyber Pakhtoonkhaw. Wife of late Rauf Khalid Senator Rubina Khalid also spoke on the occasion and said Khalid was a cultural and media personality. He worked hard for the promotion and projection of Pakistani culture at home and abroad. I also supported him in materializing some of his projects. Now after his demise, I would like to take his mission forward. So preservation and promotion of culture, arts, crafts, folklore and other art forms would remain my priority as a parliamentarian. About her family, Rubina said three people were very instrumental in my life including my father, brother Zahir Ali Shah and husband Rauf Khalid. They were in favour of women empowerment. Two of my sisters are medical doctors and I myself has done law. My daughter Sidra Khalid is studying in LUMS. Regarding affiliation with PPP, Rubina said I am a *jiala *by birth and would love to die as a *jiala*. My family has been associated politically with PPP since decades. They were sent to jail and tortured during dictatorship but they did not compromise on their principles. I also would like to dedicate my entire life for the PPP and the cause of the people. PPP is in fact my family. The other participants were federal minister Arbab Alamgir, Senator Saeeda Iqbal, Saifullah Bangash, Afrasiab Khattak, Mrs. Farah Aqil, provincial minister KP Aqil Shah, Ahmed Shah and Zahir Shah, chairman Baitul Mal Zumurad Khan, member national assembly and former culture minister Pir Aftab Hussain Shah Jillani, MNAs Malik Azmat Khan, Nafeesa Shah, Rubina Kaimkhani, Raheela Baloch, Bushra Gohar, Suryya Amiruddin, Mehrunisa Afridi, Jamila Gillani, Faisal Sakhi Butt, Shazia Javed, Shamim Zaidi,Shahid Rafi, Sanaullah Aman member CDA, Akbar Khan Marwat, Akhtar Shah, Sumera Khan, Major Nauman, Zulfiqar Hussain, former secretary culture Moin-ul-Islam Bokhari, federal secretary Faridullah Khan, Imtiaz Inayat Elahi, Abdul Basit, Marvi Sarmad, Tariq Miraj, Zafar Gondal, Nargis Faiz Malik, Rao Tehseen, Gen. (R) Farrukh and persons related to film industry including Ejaz Gul, Zeba Bukhtiar, Lela Zuberi and Shugufta Ejaz.

(THROUGH ASIA PULSE)