KARACHI: Jimmy Engineer is one of Pakistan`s eminent artists. An exhibition of his artworks is underway at the Arts Council of Pakistan`s Ahmed Parvez Gallery. Before that, the artist put his artworks on display at the Ocean Art Gallery. It carried, as is the case with the show at the council, a good number of canvas prints of his paintings made on a variety of subjects, including the displacement and struggle that took place during Pakistan`s independence movement.

Engineer`s paintings on the pangs of migration are done with the kind of sensitivity and detailing that`s the hallmark of a quality artist.

At the gallery, a note penned by his daughter,Saroasha,added tothe tenderness and affection with which the display had been put up. The statement begins with the heart-warming line, `My father taught me the meaning of love.` She ends it by quoting lines from the popular Michael Jackson song Man in the Mirror.

The President of the Arts Council of Pakistan, Ahmed Shah inaugu-rated the show at the Ocean Gallery as well as at the council. Speaking on the former occasion, he said: `Jimmy is a distinguished painter of our times who is known all over the world. He is a friend of mine.

He said Engineer has exhibited his work in more than 50 countries. `He has designed many postage stamps.He has done calligraphy. He has painted nature. He has painted all of Pakistan`s historical buildings as well as Mohanjo Daro and Gandhara civilisations. I have come here as an admirer of the artist.

Addressing the media at the opening of the exhibition on Friday, Mr Engineer said, `The purpose of my lifeis to only to promote the positive image of Pakistan. I have spent all my life with this purpose. In whatever life I have left, I`ll keep doing the same. I`ll keep promoting Pakistan. This is why I call myself a servant of Pakistan.

The exhibition at the Arts Council will conclude on Feb 27.--By Peerzada Salman