PESHAWAR, April 30: The Ajoka Theatre has finally come once again to Peshawar after almost two decades to present its most popular play Bullah , which has lessons for the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, tortured and scared by extremism and violence.

“I feel very happy to be in Peshawar. I have come with a message of peace,” Madeeha Gauhar, famous actress and executive council member, who heads the Ajoka Theatre, told a press conference arranged by provincial culture department and Tourism Corporation of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa here on Saturday.

The focal person of the culture department and TV actor, Arshad Hussain, said that Ajoka was invited to perform at Nishtar Hall by the culture department and TCKP so that those, who liked serious art and theatre, could find quality entertainment.

“Since Ajoka has come to Peshawar after a long time, it will take back with itself a different impression of this city,” he hoped.

He said if the people liked the play it could be translated and played in Pashto. It would also help those, who wanted to perform at theatre as Ajoka imparted training to youth interested in performing arts, Mr Hussain said.

TCKP general manager Mushtaq Khan, who was also present at the press conference, said that there was a need to explain and show to the youth that Sufi poets and mystics like Baba Bulleh Shah and Rehman Baba gave a message of peace and tolerance.

“Such plays and theatre performances in Peshawar are a positive development as far as art and culture promotion in the province is concerned,” he added.

Ms Gauhar explained what Ajoka Theatre was doing for the last 27 years. “Ajoka was set up by a small group of cultural activists in 1983 during Gen. Zia-ul-Haq's politically and culturally repressive regime. Despite opposition of conservative elements, Ajoka has performed at various platforms and places on bold subjects,” she said.

Ajoka has struggled for social justice and peace in Pakistan and is committed to ideals of peace and tolerance. “The theatre has been acting as a powerful means for social change by focusing on people's problems and social issues,” she added.

The play Bullah is written by Shahid Nadeem. Ms Gauhar said that it was written 10 years ago and was perhaps the most popular play of Ajoka.

When asked why ' Bullah ' was selected to be played in Peshawar, she said that she found many similarities between the time of Baba Bulleh Shah and present day Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Baba Bulleh Shah condemned misuse of religion by clerics and opportunists so decrees were issued against him on many occasions. His opposition to war and bloodshed in the name of religion, his conflict with intolerant clergy and corrupt Nawabs were all incorporated in the play, she said.

“In Bulleh Shah's time people, who had Taliban-like mentality forced him out of the city. People with the same mentality are nowadays attacking shrines of Sufis like Rehman Baba and others,” she added.

Ms Gauhar said that she did not understand why extremists were attacking the shrines or philosophy of those Sufis, who helped spread Islam in this region.

Ajoka has been raising voice against the issue of fundamentalism and intolerance in society since very beginning, she said.

“Whatever is happing in Pakistan in the name of terrorism or Talibanisation, it is a thought which is promoting intolerance in the society,” she said, adding that this 'fitna' had bad effects on society.

She said that performance in Peshawar was dedicated to Rehman Baba and all those Sufis, who spread message of peace and tolerance.

She also offered training sessions for those young artists, who wanted to learn about theatre. Showing her ancestral association with Peshawar City, she said that she would always be happy to bring Ajoka to Peshawar and perform on social issues to propagate peace and tolerance.