KARACHI: Renowned Pakistani puppeteer and Chief Operating Officer of the Rafi Peer Theatre Workshop Faizaan Peerzada passed away in Lahore late Thursday due to cardiac arrest.

Peerzada, 52, was the son of Pakistan’s leading playwright Rafi Peer and brother of renowned film and television artistes Salman and Usman Peerzada.

Born in Lahore, he began his career at Rafi Peer Theatre Workshop in 1977.

After schooling from St Anthony’s in Lahore, he attended the National College of Arts, but did not complete the design course he had enrolled in. He was an accomplished sculptor as well as puppet-maker, having carved and created 3,000 or so puppets of different kinds. He also remained a passionate painter.

Peerzada was a puppeteer with distinction and was awarded the President’s medal for the Pride of Performance. In 2011, Peerzada was awarded the commission for the project in collaboration with Sesame Workshop, the creator of the American show.

However, the US terminated funding for the project amidst reported allegations of corruption.

His funeral (Namaz-e-Janaza) will be held on Friday, December 21 at 2:00p.m at Raiwind, according to information posted on the group’s Facebook page.