Lost Paintings
Artist Saifi Soomro’s “lost” paintings were finally returned to him by Senior Director KMC Sports and Culture Raza Abbas during a ceremony held at Karachi’s historic Frere Hall on Monday.
The paintings, which had been missing for nearly seven years, were handed over to their rightful owner in a formal event, bringing closure to a long-standing issue.
Soomro, an artist from Daharki in Ghotki district, had created the paintings in 2016 and sent them to Frere Hall for an exhibition in 2017.
After the exhibition concluded, Soomro requested the return of his artworks but was informed that his paintings had disappeared and could not be located. Despite his efforts, the paintings remained missing for years, leaving the artist disheartened and frustrated.
However, the situation took a surprising turn when a drama aired on a private television channel recently featured a scene inside the Frere Hall gallery.
While watching the show, Soomro was shocked to recognize his long-lost paintings on display in the background. This unexpected discovery reignited the artist’s hopes of recovering his artwork.
Following the revelation, Soomro took to social media to raise the issue, which quickly gained traction. The public outcry that followed prompted action from the authorities.
A two-member committee was formed to investigate the matter and submit a report to Sindh Minister for Culture and Tourism Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah.
The committee’s findings revealed that the paintings had never actually gone missing. According to the report, the artwork had been at Frere Hall since 2017 and had been regularly moved between various exhibitions.
The paintings seen in the drama were confirmed to be the same ones Soomro believed were lost. The committee concluded that there was a misunderstanding between the artist and the Frere Hall administration regarding the whereabouts of the paintings.
During the ceremony, Raza Abbas, Director of KMC Sports and Culture, clarified that the paintings had not been stolen, but had simply been moved around within the gallery for different exhibitions. He added that this misunderstanding is why the paintings are being returned to the artist after all these years.
The investigation revealed that the artist had not actively pursued the recovery of his paintings in recent years, which further complicated the situation.
Nevertheless, the committee ensured that the paintings were finally returned to Soomro, and the ceremony marked the resolution of the issue.
This event highlights the power of social media in bringing attention to unresolved matters, as the public outcry played a significant role in pushing the authorities to investigate and resolve the case.
For Soomro, the reunion with his lost paintings was a long-awaited and emotional moment, ending a seven-year journey to reclaim his artwork.
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