Day 18 of Awami Theatre Festival Features “Paalna” and “Pardes”

By: Aziz Khatri

 KARACHI: The Awami Theatre Festival 2026, organized by the Arts Council of Pakistan (ACP), Karachi, continued to captivate theatre lovers as two stage plays—Urdu drama “Paalna” and Siraiki play “Pardes”—were presented on the 18th day of the festival.

The Urdu stage play “Paalna,” written and directed by Jamal Mujib, was staged earlier in the evening. The cast included Abdullah Lala, Ajnabi, Eman Qureshi, Hooriya, Irma Ahmed, Jamal Mujib, Khan Sadiq, Sapna Ghazal, Shanzay, and Yousuf Khan. The play revolved around life in an orphanage and highlighted the social realities of children separated from their mothers due to economic and social pressures. It emphasized that such children are not illegitimate, but rather victims of harsh societal circumstances.

A symbolic cradle (paalna) was used to represent the growing burden of national debt. Through various characters, the drama portrayed the struggles of ordinary people, showing how inflation continues to crush the poor while the wealthy remain close to power and privilege. The play conveyed a strong message that intellectual and ideological change is essential to overcome debt and bring about positive transformation for national progress.

Later in the evening, at 8:00 pm, the Siraiki stage play “Pardes”, written and directed by Zahoor Malik, was presented. The cast included A. Khaliq, Amjad Shani, Aun Abbas, Bashir Rahi, Bhagwan Das, Hashim, Jaleel Sanghi, Liaqat Ali, Manzoor Malik, Nasra Noor, Qasim Raza, Sapna Ghazal, Sawera Shah, Shahzad Taheem, and Shanzay Warda.

The story of “Pardes” focused on women who migrate from rural areas to Karachi and work as domestic helpers. The reformative drama highlighted their working conditions, lifestyles, and movement within urban households, shedding light on exploitation and social challenges. It also exposed certain negative practices and ultimately demonstrated the consequences of immoral actions.

The audience responded with enthusiastic applause to both performances, praising the artists for their powerful acting and socially relevant themes.

The Awami Theatre Festival 2026 will continue daily until February 16 at the Arts Council of Pakistan, Karachi. On the concluding day of the festival, the stage play “Jahil” by Aamir Rambo will be presented. Free tickets are available for the general public.