KARACHI, Sept 4: A 14-member cultural delegation of the Urdu Natak Sabha of Tokyo University of Foreign Studies will stage a play, based on the dropping of the atomic bomb and the miseries that it subsequently caused to the Japanese people, at the Arts Council of Pakistan on Thursday evening.

This was stated by the troupe leader, Prof Asada Yutaka, speaking in Urdu, at a press briefing, organized by the Pakistan-Japan Cultural Association (PJCA) at the Japan Cultural Centre here on Monday. Council general Shoichi Nakano, Fatima Suriyya Bajiya and Moinuddin Aqeel of the PJCA also spoke.

Prof Asada said play “Hiroshima Ki Kahani” as is clear from the title will tell the story of the people of the city after the bomb caused havoc and destruction, and would also reflect the miseries of those suffered from the aftereffects of the catastrophe.

The troupe had traveled to India last year and had staged 11 performances at 10 cities. In Karachi, it will stage three performances in the city and will travel to Lahore and Islamabad also.

He said now that both India and Pakistan have nuclear weapons, the troupe want to show the people of both the countries the destruction and miseries such weapons can cause so that India and Pakistan become careful and never ever think about using such weapons.

He said they had staged various Urdu and Hindi plays in different functions during the University’s students Week celebrations, but he thought of choosing some Japanese story for the play and this story, a true one, was chosen. He said through his play he thought that he could act as a friendship bridge between two neighbouring countries in forging friendship.

The story of the play is based on a story of a six-year old boy, Gen, who while going to school on Aug 6, 1945, lost his memories as he saw a huge flash-like ball of fire as an American B-29 bomber dropped the bomb on his city, Hiroshima – killing 140,000 people.

He managed to crawl out of the debris and ran back home witnessing lots of victims whose skins were hideously burnt and were wondering like ghosts asking for water. Gen’s house had collapsed, his father was dead, his older sister and younger brother were under the debris. Hindered by fire and debris all he could do was to watch three of his blood relatives being burnt and die…….

The troupe comprises Yumiko, Yumi, Takuya, Megumi, Shino, Rinko, Shintaro, Yuko, Reina, Saya, Mitsuhiro, Asuka, Mika and Yutuka Asada, who is also the director and translator of the play written by Nakazawa Keiji and dramatized by Kijima Kyo.