Family looks to govt for help as noted artiste Iftikhar Qaiser struggles for life at LRH

PESHAWAR: A noted Urdu, Pashto and Hindko drama artiste, Iftikhar Qaiser, has been struggling for life at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) for the last couple of days and doctors have termed his condition critical.

Suffering from multiple health complications, including, diabetes kidney failure and heart problem, the celebrated artiste was admitted to the LRH on Friday.

Though the federal and provincial governments had announced footing the expenses of his medical treatment, his admirers and all art lovers were shocked when they learnt through the media that the distinguished actor spent nine hours on the stretcher at the LRH before he was shifted to a ward for proper treatment.

A recipient of presidential Pride of Performance Award, Iftikhar Qaiser has remained bed-ridden for months. The family members said they had exhausted all earnings on his treatment as the government did not offer that much assistance needed for the purpose.

Some time back he was provided treatment facilities at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad on the directives of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

The federal government gave him Rs300,000 as well. The financial assistance by the KP government to the senior artiste stood at only Rs100,000. The family members said this amount was too small to pay for the expensive treatment of the multiple diseases the artiste was suffering from.

Born in 1956 in the walled city of Peshawar, Iftikhar Qaiser has performed in various television plays for 46 years. He acted in theatre as well and won acclaim.

He started acting in 1971 from PTV when he was only 15. He appeared in Urdu, Pashto and Hindko plays but earned fame through “Dekh Da Janda Ray” (Keep on Watching) – a Hindko language comedy drama series in mid 1980s.

The series was scripted by a distinguished Hindko language writer, Akhunzada Mukhtar Ali Nayyar (late). His rendition in segment “Hun Mey Bolaan Key Na Bolaan” won him praise and that was changed to “Abb Main Boloon Key Na Boloon when the same comedy was aired from state television at the national level in Urdu. 

Iftikhar Qaiser appeared in theatre plays as well and gave excelling performance in this medium as well. He acted in a play at the Nishtar Hall which was staged to highlight the universal poetry of great Pashto mystic poet Abdul Rehman Baba. He also acted in three Pashto films.

The artiste was decorated with the prestigious award of Pride of Performance in 2015 in recognition of his outstanding performance.

Those associated with the showbiz are pained at the indifference Iftikhar Qaiser has received from the government at this stage when he is no more productive due to his failing health.

“It is lamentable that a versatile actor, who has brought smiles and entertained audience for decades, is looking helplessly for help. He has spent on his treatment everything he had on hand. His financial position is too weak to feed his family. The Pakistan Muslim League-led federal and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government headed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf should come forward to help the ailing artiste who is on ventilator and going through a critical condition at the LRH,” said a fellow artiste.