City Reporter
The music lovers have expressed resentment over abrupt increase in musical and cultural programmes entry fee made by National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage (NIFTH Lok Virsa).
The cultural enthusiasts and visitors have expressed displeasure over Lok Virsa’s move and maintained that it was making the people lose their interest due to heavy entry fee charged for various cultural programmes.
Sabahat Taranum told media that the previous week, Lok Virsa had arranged a World Music Day Festival and its entry fee was set Rs250 per person which was affordable and reasonable.
She added that once again, Lok Virsa has arranged another event titled “Drum Circle Islamabad, performances under Super full Moon!” and the entry fee was Rs 700 per head.
Saleem Lehri, a cultural and musical enthusiast said it was the only affordable leisure activity to reduce Covid stress and Lok Virsa’s increased was killing public passion to participate the musical programmes.
He added that the regular visitors of Lok Virsa have demanded that the NIFTH should stop this new trend of charging heavy fees.
There had been the precedents of no fees charged by Lok Virsa which had helped develop long public crowds visiting the cultural centre which was now diminishing.
Commenting on the entry fees on cultural programs, Executive Director Lok Virsa Talha Ali said that NIFTH was following the direction of Board of Directors to generate own resources.
He said the Lok virsa would reduce the entry charges where it could not be free due to financial issues.
