Hamdullah Arbab’s life has been defined by four decades of war. He is utilizing his skills to advocate peace and highlight the horrors of war in his country. Ali Sajid, a painter based in the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar, has used his mastery to highlight the environmental challenges in northern Pakistan. The region is home to some of the most majestic mountains in the world but faces grave environmental problems.
Afghan, Pakistani Artists Paint Peace And The Environment
- By Majeed Babar
Artists are often inspired by their environment. In Afghanistan and Pakistan, two painters are using their art to raise awareness about some of the most pressing issues in their country.

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Sajid says he uses a “variety of cool and warm colors in my palette” to paint nature in watercolor.

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“The challenges of the 21st century, such as climate change requires new ways of thinking,” Sajid says. “People need to look at the world with interest and receptivity.”

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Sajid says that nature inspires his paintings.

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A mountain village in northern Pakistan as imagined by Sajid.