KARACHI: Pakistan’s first short-form digital media app RINSTRA, a flagship platform of DICE CAM, and its upcoming web series Abhi Nahi, penned by the late Haseena Moin, were introduced to the media at the Karachi Press Club (KPC) on Saturday evening.

Speaking on the occasion, the director of the series, Misbah Khalid, who had tears in her eyes remembering the writer, said she had known Haseena Moin from the time she worked with her in the play Ankahi, and for the last two years, while on the aforementioned DICE project, started another special journey with her. Even when RINSTRA came into being a couple of years back they [writer and director] were together.

Talking about Abhi Nahi whose first episode was to be released on Saturday, Ms Khalid said it focuses on the issue of breast cancer, something that in the past no one liked to talk about. So the idea is that if something like that happens in your life, you could fight it. And Haseena was the perfect person to write the story because all female protagonists in her plays are strong women.

She said the project was shot up north in March and Haseena was there with the cast and crew every step of the way.

Two weeks after landing in Karachi she passed away. “She will be sorely missed.” The director added that Pakistan has tremendous talent. She thanked Dr Adil Akhtar and Khurshid Qureshi representing RINSTRA and DICE for trying to promote young Pakistani talent.

Earlier, Dr Adil Akhtar, who is an oncologist by profession, shed light on RINSTRA as its chairman. He said the platform is mission-driven, and the mission is ‘Pakistan’. It is a venture conceived and funded by expatriate Pakistanis.

Elaborating on the mission, he pointed out it was to come up with a digital media platform for Pakistan — it’s a short format online video platform. But the “idea is to tell our own stories in our way, carrying Pakistan’s realistic narrative.”

Dr Akhtar said the other factor was that through RINSTRA they wanted to start media entrepreneurship in the country. Anyone can come and showcase their creativity here. The idea is to bring Pakistan’s young storytellers to come to a platform of their own country. It will not only give content creators exposure in Pakistan but will also help them get projection abroad through expatriate Pakistanis.

Khurshid Qureshi talked about the aims and objectives of DICE CAM. Seema Kamran, Nashmia, Dr Farah, Sadaf (Haseena Moin’s niece) and Sarwat Gillani also spoke.

Shanaz Ramzi moderated the event.

Published in Dawn, August 1st, 2021