RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi Arts Council (RAC) on Friday presented a comedy-drama play titled Joro ka Ghulam, on drug use.

The play features local actors, and was attended by residents of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. The event aimed to raise awareness about the harmful effects of drug use.

The cast included Azhar Kiani, Shahzad Mughal, Naeem Bappa, Rizwana Khan, Naeem Tota, Savara Khan and Laiba Malik.

The play began with a farmer, who moves to the city from a village in search of opportunity. However, the farmer soon starts selling heroin, and eventually earns a fortune. By the end of the play, his son becomes a heroin addict, and is killed by a rival drug mafia.

Sajjad Hussain, an audience member, said the story was simple and the actors’ conveyed the message in a light tone. He said such plays bring people out of their homes and also make it possible to revive theatre.

“There is a lot of difference in watching a drama or movie at home on TV and watching it at the theatre. Artists’ work can be judged while watching them live,” Sadia Malik, a fine arts student, said. She said more people should go to watch theatrical performances, in order to appreciate the actors. “But, it is the duty of the organisers to present good plays on stage, otherwise people won’t come to the performances,” she added.

RAC resident director Waqar Ahmed said the message of the play was that drug use can be dangerous. “Though the message is not new to us, RAC tried to highlight the issue and inform people about the consequences,” he said.

He said RAC was working to provide audiences with issue-based plays.

RAC, in collaboration with the Pias literary society also arranged the launch of Sar-e-Karb by the poet Mohammad Sadaqat Tahir on Friday.

Former Azad Kashmir prime minister Sardar Attiq Ahmed Khan presided over the launch, while Prof Dr Maqsood Jafferi and Dr Zahid Chughtai were invited as chief guests, and Aftab Zia and Prof Baqir Wasim were guests of honour.

Mohammad Ameed Khan hosted the launch, which was also addressed by Prof Ishtiaq Qamar, Arif Farhad, Faran Shahid, Pervais Akhtar, Mohammad Mushtaq, Sher Ali and others.

Resident director Ahmed said RAC provided literary figures with a platform to discuss new works.

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2016