KARACHI, Dec 29: The Japan- Pakistan Cultural Association organized Urdu stage plays on Saturday by the students of Tokyo University of Foreign Studies in collaboration with the Japan Cultural Centre and the Institute of Business Administration at the IBA city campus, says a press release.

The event was held to mark the golden jubilee of the diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Japan.

The press release says that Dr Pirzada Qasim, vice chancellor of the Federal Urdu University of Science and Technology, was the chief guest at the cultural evening. Dr Qasim said that cultural activities should not be ‘airmailed’ from one place to another. Instead they could only be exchanged through people who could build cultural ties among nations.

He admired the efforts of the Japan-Pakistan Cultural Association and this new dimensional endeavour to bring the people of the two countries close in such difficult times of regional stability.

Well-known cultural figure and playwright Fatima Surayya Bajia, president of the Pakistan-Japan Cultural Association, added that it was their team effort that resulted in the great success of the evening.

Besides two stunning performances, ‘Naql-i-Makaani’ based on a famous Urdu play and an original comedy play “School” written by Japanese students, Japanese folk dances, a paper-cutting (Japanese traditional art) demonstration and Japanese songs were also presented. The performers comprised 18 students, headed by Professor Yutaka Asada from the department of Urdu, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies.

People from nearly all walks of life, and artists, scholars and dignitaries, including the consul general of Japan at Karachi, Kanji Hanagata, were among the audience present at the event.