The Standing Committee on National Heritage and Culture Division met on Thursday, November 20, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. in the Conference Room of the Pakistan National Council of the Arts in Islamabad under the chairpersonship of Syeda Nosheen Iftikhar, MNA. The session opened with a recitation from the Holy Quran and proceeded to approve the minutes of the previous meeting before an in-depth review of the compliance report on earlier recommendations.
The Committee was informed by the Secretary of the National Heritage and Culture Division that the Iqbal Academy Pakistan has already recorded interviews with Allama Iqbal’s son and daughter focusing on his life and work. The Academy is currently compiling and editing these recorded conversations for publication, and members urged timely preservation of this material.
In view of the upcoming commemorative year, the Committee recommended that the Iqbal Academy preserve the interviews in a book and ensure publication before Allama Iqbal’s 150th birthday, while also making the content widely available on social media to reach younger audiences. Members further called for a programme of events in schools, colleges and universities throughout the year to engage students with Allama Iqbal’s ideas and legacy.
On institutional coordination, the Secretary reported that the Terms of Reference and composition for a Coordination Committee on Interfaith Harmony and Cultural Enhancement — including federal and provincial representation as recommended earlier — have been prepared and submitted to the National Assembly Secretariat. The Standing Committee decided these documents should be forwarded to the Honourable Speaker of the National Assembly for approval and necessary action.
The Director General of the Pakistan National Council of the Arts delivered a comprehensive briefing on the PNCA’s functions, outlining course offerings, duration, scope, enrollment figures, national day celebrations, VVIP visits and the exhibitions and workshops organised for youth. The Committee recommended that the PNCA strengthen projection of its cultural events, with particular emphasis on activities held abroad to enhance Pakistan’s cultural outreach.
Members agreed to hold the next meeting in Karachi. The meeting was attended by MNAs Natasha Daultana, Samar Haroon Bilour, Saeeda Jamshid, Shaista Khan, Mahtab Akbar Rashdi, Saba Talpur, Naeema Kishwer Khan and Sanjay Perwani, along with the Secretary and senior officers from the National Heritage and Culture Division. The Committee Secretary, Hasnain Asif Kharal, was also present to record proceedings.
