KARACHI, May 18: Indian actor Anupam Kher and Indian playwright and director Feroz Khan's stage performances of the one-man play "Kucch Bhi Ho Sakta Hai' (Anything can happen...) scheduled to be held in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad later this week have been cancelled
, the organizers in Pakistan, the DAWN Group of Newspapers, announced in a press release on Tuesday.
The cancellation was caused by the repeated refusal of the interior ministry to issue the necessary no-objection certificates for the performances, the press release said.
Pakistan Herald Publications (Pvt) Ltd, the publishers of DAWN and its in-paper Literary Review - Books & Authors - expressed their regret at the disappointment to be faced by the 12-member consortium of sponsoring corporations, who had facilitated access to the four performances of the play for select audiences drawn from over half a million readers of the nation's largest literary review.
Along with the news release announcing the cancellation, Hameed Haroon, CEO of the DAWN Group of Newspapers, issued a statement outlining the reasons for the cancellation of Mr Anupam Kher's scheduled performances in Pakistan. The text of the statement reads as follows:
"It is with deep regret that we announce the suspension of the tour of Pakistan by the distinguished actor, Anupam Kher, the celebrated playwright Feroz Khan and the cancellation of the performances of this internationally acclaimed play, that was to be hosted by our Literary Review - 'Books & Authors'.
"The decision to cancel was taken by us as a direct consequence of the bomb threats to the performance that we were informed of by the director-general of the large naval auditorium in Karachi, which was to witness the play's premiere this weekend.
Additionally, the federal ministry of interior in Islamabad had repeatedly refused the issuance of the necessary no-objection certificates for the performances.
"It is inconceivable that the director-general of a naval theatre complex, located within the boundaries of a defence installation, should have declared that a perceived threat to the auditorium (under full compliance by us of all security regulations) was seen to outweigh the dangers to freedom of expression.
The persistent refusal by the authorities should also be viewed seriously as an act of unbridled and irrational censorship. It is ironical that Mr Anupam Kher, who has been described by many as 'the most liberal and humane' chairman of the Indian Board of Film Censors in recent times, should find performances of his play so discourteously disallowed.
"The supreme irony in this matter, however, is that President Musharraf and Prime Minister Jamali's actions to kickstart the proliferation of friendly ties between India and Pakistan have been thwarted by a section of the government which has arrogated to itself the role of chief censor and regulator of freedom of expression enshrined in Article 19 of the Constitution of Pakistan."
"I also wish to place on record our deep appreciation for the conduct of the ministry of foreign affairs of Pakistan and our mission in Delhi, both of whom played a positive role in facilitating Mr Kher's tour and for demonstrating an attitude of courtesy and hospitality for which we Pakistanis are customarily known."
