Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy Criticizes Sindh Govt’s Handling of Seffy Soomro Art Case, Calls for Independent Investigations
Chinoy also raised concerns over the inquiry’s impartiality.
Renowned filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy has voiced her concerns over the Sindh Government’s handling of the Seffy Soomro case, following the release of an inquiry report regarding the Ghotki-based artist’s missing paintings.
The report, published by the Directorate General Culture Sindh, attributed the situation to a “misunderstanding,” claiming that Soomro had not shown serious interest in retrieving his artwork after lending it for a 2017 exhibition.
Contradicting Soomro’s allegations, the report stated that his paintings had been left unattended at Karachi’s Frére Hall, being moved from one corner to another due to various exhibitions over the years. However, in a video posted on his Facebook, Soomro accused the authorities of conducting a biased investigation into the matter.
In a comment on a Dawn Images post discussing Seffy Soomro’s case, Chinoy also raised concerns over the inquiry’s impartiality.
She called on the Sindh Government to establish an independent committee with true authority to investigate cases like this.
Chinoy further highlighted broader issues in Sindh’s art and culture preservation, pointing out longstanding concerns about rare artefacts being sold from the Karachi Museum and replaced with replicas.
She stressed that the province’s cultural heritage is at risk and urged the government to take meaningful actions to protect its valuable assets, stating such a move would be both “rare and commendable.”
