Play staged for Kashmir cause

LAHORE : The Alhamra Arts Council organised two-day long theatre play “Aseer-e-Azadi” to show solidarity with the people of Kashmir who are fighting against brutal Indian army for their freedom.

The play was watched by a huge number of audience on the second day in Hall II at Alhamra Art Centre on The Mall.

Punjab Minister for Information and Culture Mian Aslam Iqbal was the chief guest of the event. Former Punjab Governor Khalid Maqbool and Lahore Arts Council Executive Director Ather Ali Khan were also present.

Mian Aslam Iqbal said that religious and racial discrimination was the most heinous crime in the modern civilised world. No religion preaches bloodshed and aggression being meted out to the people of Kashmir. He said India captured the Kashmir valley unethically. He stated the entire nation of Pakistan was standing with the people of Kashmir. “We salute the Kashmiri people for their battle against Indian armed forces,” he added.

Mrs Mishaal Yasin Malik, wife of Hurriyat leader Yasin Malik, watched the dram on its first day as the chief guest. She stated with very heavy heart that curfew and lockdown was going on in Kashmir for the last 40 days and there were no food and medicines in the valley. Rapes and killings are rampant there, she said. She appealed to all the advocates of democracy and human rights all over the world to exert their pressure on India for the rights of innocent Kashmiris.

The play “Aseer-e-Azadi” is written by Aslam Mughal and Afzaal Nabi. It is directed by Amir Nawaz. The drama is all about the ongoing freedom movement in Kashmiri. It highlights the brutality of Indian troops who have raped thousands of innocent Kashmiri girls and killed their men. The cast include Nida Malik, Sarfaraz Ansari, Zohaib Haider, Zaheer Tajj, Afzal Nabi, Hafza Tahir, Zeeshan Haider, Mansoor, Imran and Bilal.

Ather Ali Khan said India was not only committing unprecedented atrocities on Kashmiris, it was also crushing the Muslims of India. He stated that it seemed that Modi wanted genocide of the Muslims in Kashmir. The world powers must take serious notice of Indian brutalities in Kashmir, he said.

Lahore Arts Council will continue to arrange programmes to express solidarity with the people of Kashmir, he added.