National College of Arts (NCA) is one of the oldest institutions in Pakistan, which is credited with quality education in the fields of arts, design and architecture as well as acknowledged for leading the creative production of modern arts in the country. Some of Pakistan’s top most architects, designers, artists, film makers and performing artists attribute their worldly success to their education at the NCA. For many, the word NCA has become synonymous with creativity, innovation and freedom.

Despite its federal status, NCA remained grounded in Punjab with its two campuses in Lahore and Rawalpindi. With the devolution of the legislative subjects of education as well as culture to the provinces in 2010, NCA as an educational and cultural institution was likely to be devolved to the Punjab province, on both accounts. However, the devolution of NCA was averted largely due its elevated status in public imagination as a symbol of federation. NCA was retained with the federation and placed under the Cabinet Division, with Prime Minister of Pakistan, as the controlling authority.

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Earlier this year, National Assembly’s Standing Committee on the Cabinet affairs, led by MNA Rana Mohammad Qasim Noon and Asad Umer, made recommendation for the expansion of NCA into the provinces, by opening up campuses in Peshawar, Quetta, Karachi and Islamabad. If this move by the federal legislatures to make NCA a truly federal institution, can survive the storm in the parliament, then the revision of the presidential ordinance with a democratic piece of legislation may be the first step towards democratising NCA. It is time for the legislature to remove the shackles of dictatorships imposed by a dictatorial regime over NCA. This is the only way to reinvigorate the losing spirits of creativity, innovation and freedom that gave NCA’s its charisma.