KARACHI: A big number of people turned up at the Arts Council of Pakistan on Monday evening to witness the launch of Season 3 of the puppet show Pakkay Dost, conceived and produced by musician Bilal Maqsood.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Maqsood said in the last 30 to 35 years, content in Urdu for children became nonexistent. Whatever young ones were seeing was either western content or western content dubbed in Urdu.

He said: “What are the messages that we are feeding children’s minds with? Everyone knows that the first seven years for any child are the most critical because in the first seven years a human mind is formed. So the messages that the child receives in those years remain with him all his life. These days we can’t control kids’ screen time, but what we can control is that what they are watching is healthy and as per our values.

“Pakkay Dost is based on sympathy, kindness, honesty, empathy, purity and friendship. The most important thing: it’s in Urdu. If a child listens to stories and songs through characters that he can relate to, then he will be connected to his culture and values all his life.”

The puppet show for children is also dubbed in Sindhi language

He raised the point that today children have many options. Whatever content they’re watching is of high quality. “How can we compete? On Pakkay Dost, we have paid attention to quality, be it music production, lighting, puppet making, sound design or set design. The quality is comparable to any children’s show in the world. Because when kids watch it, they should say ‘this show is cool, the puppets are cool, and Urdu is cool’. We need to make Urdu cool for them.”

Next up were some clips from seasons 1 and 2 which were very well received by the audience.

Mr Maqsood thanked the Sindh culture department and the chief minister who provided him with the grant for Season 3.

He said the Culture Minster Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah requested him to dub the show in the Sindhi language as well, which he has done.

After glimpses of Season 3, clips from the Sindhi version of the show were also played.

Minister Zulfiqar Shah said there was shortage of such programme for children. “I think Pakkay Dost will be appreciated internationally.”

He said he had asked Mr Maqsood that the show should be in all languages — Sindhi, Balochi, Punjabi, Pashto.

Hum TV Network President Sultana Siddiqui said she has always wanted to do programmes for children. “I used to get hurt when I couldn’t find sponsors such shows. I’m happy that the Sindh government is supporting Pakkay Dost.”

Arts Council President Ahmed Shah called the show a fascinating project. “It’s a big thing that a music superstar has compromised his own music for kids.”

In the last part of the event, Mr Maqsood introduced his team to the audience, which included the new addition, actress Syra Yousuf.

Published in Dawn, September 3rd, 2025