A pair of paintings by Ghotki-based artist Safdar Ali, also known as Seffy Soomro, have resurfaced after having gone missing seven years ago.
The paintings, which had disappeared shortly after being displayed at an exhibition in Karachi's Frere Hall in 2017, were spotted by the artist while watching a recently-aired Episode of the Urdu language drama serial Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum, on ARY Digital.
The two paintings, impressionistic profile paintings of a boy and a girl in pastel hues were shown put up on the wall of the set where the drama was shot.
Aggrieved and elated, the artist, Soomro posted on social media that he had submitted his artwork to the Sandakan Gallery at Frere Hall for display in an exhibition. He was assured by the gallery's administration that if his paintings were sold, he would be paid, and if not, the artworks would be returned. However, a month after the exhibition, Soomro was informed that his paintings, along with those of other artists, had gone missing during renovation work at the Frere Hall.
A fine arts graduate from the University of Sindh in Jamshoro, Soomro said the paintings were created as part of his final year thesis. He added that he initially accepted the loss as God's will and swallowed the bitter pill.
But seeing his paintings hung up on the walls of a set seven years later, however, evoked anger in him.
His subsequent social media post sparked public outrage, leading to accusations of negligence and possible theft by the gallery administration.
In response to the uproar, Sindh’s Provincial Minister for Culture, Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah, has ordered an investigation into the incident. A two-member committee, consisting of the Culture Director-General and the Antiquities Director-General, have been tasked with conducting a thorough inquiry into the missing paintings. The committee is expected to submit a report to the minister, who has assured that appropriate action will be taken if negligence is proven.
Shah emphasised the importance of supporting young artists, stating, "They are our assets, and we will not tolerate any injustice towards them."
He assured the public that the matter was being handled with care and promised that any lapses in responsibility would be addressed.