KARACHI: The Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi has inaugurated the “Was Dhaari Sindhi Theatre Festival 2026” in a grand ceremony. Sindh Minister for Culture, Tourism and Antiquities Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah attended the inaugural ceremony as the special guest, accompanied by President Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi Muhammad Ahmed Shah.
The ceremony was attended by a large number of theatre directors, artists and theatre lovers. The “Was Dhaari Sindhi Theatre Festival” aims to promote the Sindhi language, culture and theatre while providing artists with an effective platform to showcase their talent. Sindhi plays will be staged daily at 8:00 pm during the festival. A total of eight Sindhi plays will be presented during the festival, including “Tick Tick,” “Goongi,” “Wayoon Battal,” “Wann’ Wajae Chhadyae,” “Tirkini Daakan,” “Bhaley,” “Art,” and “A Dice.”
All the plays will be staged at Auditorium II of the Arts Council Karachi, while admission for the public will be completely free. Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, Sindh Minister for Culture, Tourism and Antiquities Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah said theatre provides an excellent opportunity for young people who aspire to pursue careers in films. He said that young people can gain practical training in acting through theatre and learn the finer nuances of the craft.
He said that artists from Sindh are proving their mettle not only in Pakistan but also at the international level. He said it is a matter of pride for Sindh that its artists are emerging as superstars and leading actors, bringing recognition to Pakistan, with Fahad Mustafa and Mahira Khan among the foremost names. He said that, as was the case last year, their names were once again recommended for the Sitara-i-Imtiaz this year; however, the federal government once again overlooked the recommendation. He said that leading artists from Sindh should receive the recognition at the federal level that they deserve.
He added that Sindhi dramas and artists are popular not only in Pakistan but also in India and the Gulf countries. He appreciated the Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi for organising various cultural activities, including the World Culture Festival. “Sindh is the land of Sufis and has always conveyed the message of love, peace and brotherhood,” he said, adding that the poetry of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai carried a clear message of love, humanity, peace and respect for women. The provincial minister urged young people to increasingly engage with theatre, watch plays and learn from experienced directors. He said the young people working in theatre today could become prominent artists and successful film actors in the future.
He welcomed all the artists and directors participating in the Sindhi Theatre Festival and expressed his best wishes for them. He also said that he would try to make time from his busy schedule to attend the festival programmes.
Speaking on the occasion, President Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi Muhammad Ahmed Shah said that more than 300 events related to the Sindhi language were organised annually at the Arts Council. However, Sindhi theatre had yet to attain the position achieved by Urdu theatre. He said the Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi had organised Sindhi theatre festivals in Hyderabad, Sukkur, Larkana, Khairpur and Naushahro Feroze to promote Sindhi theatre.
He said eight Sindhi plays were being presented in the current festival. Muhammad Ahmed Shah said all the artists participating in the festival were highly popular on social media and had millions of followers. No play would be staged on the occasion of 12 Rabi-ul-Awwal, while theatre performances would continue daily on the remaining days of the festival. He said the festival offered ample opportunities for entertainment and recreation and would provide theatre lovers with an opportunity to watch quality Sindhi theatre. On the first day of the festival, “Tik Tik” was staged and received an enthusiastic response from the audience.
The auditorium was packed with theatre lovers. The play was written by Khalid Bhutto and directed by Haider Qadri. Artists Paras Masroor and Haider Qadri delivered impressive performances and received widespread appreciation from the audience. The story of “Tik Tik” revolves around a doctor who has developed a poison that cannot be detected by any laboratory in the world. A wealthy businessman approaches the doctor to obtain the poison to kill his wife and offers him a large sum of money in return. Before giving him the poison, the doctor asks the businessman about the reason for the murder. The businessman makes various allegations against his wife and explains why he wants to kill her.
The doctor serves him tea and, during their conversation, convinces him that the tea contains the poison. He tells the businessman that he has only three hours left to live and will die after that. Convinced that he is going to die, the businessman’s perspective changes completely. He begins thinking about his life, wife and children. He decides to seek forgiveness from his wife and advises his children never to deceive anyone, never to think badly of others and always value their relationships. After three hours have passed, the doctor reveals that he had not actually given him any poison but had instead given him a “psychological poison.” The fear of death makes him realise the true value of his life and relationships. The play conveys the message that no matter how much wealth a person possesses, money cannot buy life. Instead of harming others, people should value their relationships, love, honesty and good character.
