KARACHI: A committee has been established to investigate the claims of local Sindh artist Seffy Soomro, who alleges that his paintings were stolen and used in a currently airing drama on a private entertainment channel.
The announcement was made by Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah, Sindh’s minister for culture, tourism, antiquities, and archives, following Soomro’s recent revelation that he found his artwork in a popular drama, years after being told they were lost during an exhibition.
Soomro, from Daharki in Sindh’s Ghotki district, shared his experience on social media, posting images of two of the 16 to 17 paintings he created for his thesis project titled “Innocent Faces” at the University of Sindh’s Department of Fine Arts. His posts quickly gained traction, with many calling for accountability and shedding light on the struggles artists face in the country.
In response to the public outcry, the provincial minister has tasked a committee, which includes the directors general of the culture and antiquities departments, to conduct a thorough investigation into the situation. This committee will look into the management of Frere Hall and Soomro’s ownership claims, as explained by Shah during an interview on Geo News’ ‘Geo Pakistan.’
“I was thrilled to see my paintings displayed on such a prominent platform,” Soomro said. “But I was deeply saddened to learn I had been deceived into thinking they were lost.”
He plans to approach the Frere Hall administration to request the return of his paintings and seek damages. Soomro clarified that while someone sent a notice to Frere Hall in his name, he did not authorize it and currently does not have legal representation.
Shah also noted that, while his department investigates the matter, he is unaware of who filed a police complaint regarding the situation.
Soomro, who actively shares his artwork online, expressed his intention to take his artistic career more seriously moving forward and mentioned receiving interest from various forums.
“I feel like I lost my children, and now I know where they are,” he remarked about finding his paintings. He also thanked those who highlighted the issue and the authorities for initiating the investigation.
In his Instagram post, Soomro explained that he submitted both paintings for display at an art exhibition at Karachi’s Frere Hall in 2017, but the management later claimed they were lost when he sought to retrieve them. Years later, he discovered them in a drama episode, prompting him to speak out against the alleged deception.
