The long-standing mystery surrounding artist Saifi Soomro’s missing paintings has finally been resolved with their return by the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC).
On Monday, the KMC handed over the two artworks to Soomro at Frere Hall.
However, Soomro has expressed concerns and hinted at potential legal action, demanding Rs 1 million in royalties.
The paintings, which went missing during an exhibition at Frere Hall, became a trending topic on social media.
Raza Abbas, Senior Director of Culture and Sports at KMC, presented the paintings to Soomro in the presence of the media.
Noted artist Jimmy Engineer also awarded Soomro a cash prize.
During a press conference, Soomro voiced his concerns, stating, “I demand Rs 1 million in royalties for the use of my artworks, or I reserve the right to pursue legal action.” He explained that the paintings had disappeared when he was a final-year student, and despite his efforts to locate them, they recently resurfaced in a TV drama.
“I have no idea where my paintings have been used or how much revenue has been generated from them. If I find out they were profited from, I will take legal action,” Soomro added.
Raza Abbas confirmed that the issue had been resolved, stating, “Today, we have returned Saifi’s paintings. The artworks have been with us since 2017, and no revenue was generated from them.”
Abbas also responded to the monetary demands, labeling Soomro’s Rs 1 million request as “blackmail.”
He further clarified that KMC had made several attempts to return the paintings to Soomro but had not received a response until now.
The saga began when Soomro’s artworks, exhibited in 2017 at Frere Hall, were reported missing but later spotted in a television drama. Following this, Soomro filed a police complaint alleging theft of his artwork.
The KMC has now returned the paintings, with Soomro signing the receipt, although the artist remains committed to pursuing royalties.