Pakistan National Council of the Arts Act, 1973

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THE PAKISTAN NATIONAL COUNCIL OF THE ARTS ACT, 1973. 
 
 
 
CONTENTS 
1. Short title, extent and commencement 
2.  Definitions 
3.  Establishment of the Council 
4.  Board of Governors 
5.  Director General 
6.  Headquarters 
7.  Functions 
8.  Funds 
9.  Audit of accounts 
10  Power to make rules  
11  Power to make regulations  
 
 

 
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THE PAKISTAN NATIONAL COUNCIL OF THE ARTS ACT, 1973. 
 
1ACT NO LIX OF 1973 
[11th August, 1973] 
An Act to provide for the establishment of the Pakistan National Council of the Arts. 
 WHEREAS it is expedient to provide for the establishment of a Pakistan National Council 
of the Arts for the patronage, promotion and development of the Arts, and for m atters 
connected therewith or incidental thereto; 
 It is hereby enacted as follows:— 
 1.  Short  title,  extent  and  commencement.— (1)  This  Act  may  be  called  the Pakistan 
National Council of the Arts Act, 1973.  
 (2) It extends to the whole of Pakistan. 
 (3) It shall come into force at once 
 2. Definitions. In this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or 
context,— 
 (a) “artistic activity” means any activity so declared by the Federal Government 
 by notification in the official Gazette; 
(b)  “Board” means the Board of Governors of the Council constituted under 
 section 4; 
(c) “Chairman” means the Chairman of the Council; 
(d) “Council” means the Pakistan National Council of the Arts established under 
 section 3; and 
(e)  “Director-General” means the Director-General of the Council. 
 3. Establishment of the Council.—(1) As soon as may be after the commencement of this 
Act, the Federal Government may, by notification in the official Gazette, establish a Council to be 
called the Pakistan National Council of the Arts. 
 (2)  The  Council  shall  be  a  body  corporate  having  perpetual  succession  and  a common 
seal, with power to acquire, hold and dispose of p roperty, both movable, and immovable, and shall 
by the said name sue and be sued. 
 
 
 
 
1 For Statement of Objects and Reasons, see Gaz. of P., 1973, Ext., Pt. III, p. 1205. 
 
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 1[4. Board of Governors.— (1) The management, overall control and supervision of the 
affairs of the council shall vest in a Board of Governor consisting of the following members, 
namely:— 
(a)  the Federal Minister-in-Charge of Culture who shall also be the Chairman;  
(b) the Minister of State for Culture, who shall also be the Vice-Chairman: 
 Provided  that,  if  there  is  no  such  Minister  of  State;  the  Federal 
Government may nominate any member of the Board to be the Vice-Chairman; 
  (c) the Secretary to the Government of Pakistan in the Division dealing with 
   Culture; 
  (d) a representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; 
  (e) the Financial Adviser of the Division dealing with Culture; 
(f)  the Joint Secretary to the Government of Pakistan in the Division dealing with 
Culture; 
(g)  the Director-General; 
(h)  the Director of Archaeology; 
(i)  the Managing Director, Pakistan Television Corporation;  
(j) the Director-General, Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation; 
(k)  twenty persons, in cluding  five  women, eminent in the fields or  art and 
culture, to be nominated by the Chairman; and 
  (l) a member-secretary to be appointed by the Chairman.]. 
 (2) The Board of Governors shall have power to co-opt. members from amongst persons who 
are specialists in th eir respective field, for advice on particular projects and m atters und er 
consideration. 
 (3) The members of the Board, excepting the ex-officio members, shall hold office for a 
term of three years and shall be eligible for re-election or re-nomination, as the case may be. 
 (4) A member of the Board, other than an ex-officio member, may, by writing under his hand 
addressed to the Chairman, resign his office. 
 (5) Any casual vacancy in the office of a member other than an ex-officio member shall  be  
filled  by  a  person  nominated  by  the  Federal  Government  and  the  person  so nominated shall 
hold office for the unexpired period of the term of his predecessor. 
 
1 Subs. by the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (Amdt.) Ordinance, 1979 (61 of 1979), s. 2, for sub-section (1). 
 
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 5. Director-General.—(1) The Director-General shall be appointed by the Chairman on such 
remuneration and other terms and conditions as the Chairman may determine. 
 (2) The Director-General shall be the chief executive of the Council and shall be 
responsible to the Board for carrying out the objectives of the Council. 
 (3) The Director-General may, by writing under his hand addressed to the Chairman, resign 
his office. 
 6. Headquarters. The headquarters of the Council shall be at Islamabad. 
 7. Functions.—(1) The Council shall— 
(a)  advise the Federal Government on matters of policy on artistic activity and 
their implementation; 
(b) improve knowledge, understanding and practice of the arts and advise the 
Federal Government in order to increase regional activity through systematic 
planning and coordination at all levels; 
(c)  coordinate, evaluate and supervise activities of cultural organizations and 
individuals engaged in cultural activities; 
(d)  advise and assist the Provincial Governments in the setting up of Provincial 
Art Councils to s erve as li aison between the lo cal cultural bodies and the 
Council with regard to their activities and financial assistance; 
(e)   plan,  establish  and  run  art  academies,  folk  museums,  exhibition  h alls, 
auditoria, art galleries and similar other institutions; 
(f) organize exhibitions of arts and crafts within Pakistan and in other countries;  
(g)  organize national and regional ensembles for performance within the country 
and in other countries; 
(h)  organize and promote cultural fairs and festivals; 
(i)  help, establish and organize national unions of artists on the b asis of their 
chosen field of activity; 
(j)  help in the implementation of cultural pacts and programmes on directions of 
the Federal Government; 
(k)   have  contacts  with  similar  organizations  in  other  countries,  through  the 
Federal Government; 
(l)  set up penals of experts in specific fields of the arts where necessary; and 
(m)  perform any other function in the field of arts which the Federal Government 
may direct or which the council may consider necessary or desirable. 
 (2) Where it appears to the Council that an organization engaged in artistic activity which 
is in receipt of any grant from the Federal Government or the council, is conducting its activities in 
 
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a manner contrary to the policy laid down by the Council or is in any other way mismanaging its 
affairs, the Council may, and where the Federal Government so directs shall, hold an enquiry into 
the affairs of such organization and submit a report to the Federal Gov ernment alongwith its 
recommendations. 
 8. Funds. The funds of the Council shall be derived from the following sources, 
namely:— 
(i)  grants of the Federal Government and the Provincial Governments; and 
(ii)   contributions  and  donations  from  individuals,  local  bodies,  corporations, 
institutions, organizations and agencies. 
 9. Audit of accounts. The accounts of the Council shall be audited by an auditor who is 
a Chartered Accountant within the meaning of the Chartered Accountants Ordinance, 1961 (X of 
1961.), appointed by the  Federal Government, in consultation with the Auditor-General  of  
Pakistan,  on  such  remuneration,  to  be paid  by the Council,  as  the  Federal Government may 
fix. 
 10. Power to make rules. The Federal Government may, by notification in the official 
Gazette, make rules to carry out the purposes of this Act. 
 11. Power to make regulations. The Council may make such regulations as it may 
consider necessary for carrying the provisions of this Act into effect. 
 
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