ritten by GEO news anchor Shahzeb Khanzada and, directed by Syed Wajahat Hussain, this new play - only two episodes aired to date - has already caused quite a stir. Boasting of a stellar supporting cast and a gripping plot, Case No 9 promises to raise the bar for future productions.

With accomplished actors like Faysal Qureshi and Saba Qamar and a director like Syed Wajahat Hussain at the helm of affairs, it is hard to get the footing wrong. Saba Qamar plays Sehar Moazzam, the head of sales and marketing at KKR, a company owned by Kamran Haider, played by Faysal Qureshi. A star employee, she is invited for dinner by the chief executive officer, Kamran.

Sehar arrives, but is surprised to see that there is no one there except her. Suspecting that something is terribly wrong, she tries to escape but is sexually assaulted by her boss who, we learn, is quite miffed by the fact that she keeps rejecting his advances. His wife, Kiran, is at her parents’ house. She is soon going to have a baby.

Junaid Khan plays the role of Rohit, Kamran’s friend. On receiving a text from Sehar inquiring about his whereabouts, Rohit suspects that something is wrong. Later, after a conversation with his friend, he takes out his car and rushes over to his place. However, it is too late as he finds Sehar lying on the floor of the powder room. She is in a state of acute distress. It looks like she has been sexually assaulted.

Sehar is traumatised and leaves. Rohit is extremely angry with Kamran but eventually comes round and is persuaded to hush things up. In the meantime, Sehar, after nearly a week, musters up courage to file an FIR against her boss. Mirza Gohar Rasheed features in the role of Shafique, the police inspector overseeing the case. He is directed by the SP to investigate the complaint lodged by Sehar.

Sehar is subjected to invasive questioning at the police station and sent for a medical examination. Kamran, with the help of his company lawyer, procures bail before arrest and hires another powerful lawyer to defend him. How will the play unfold? Will Sehar get justice? Will Kamran be convicted?

The play has highlighted a number of social issues. Saba is a divorcée. The misogynists surrounding her see this as a reason why she should be ‘available’ to Kamran. Kamran Haider, her boss, tries to flirt with her and when she rejects his advances, wants to get back at her. He invites her over and sexually assaults her. His friend, Junaid, is a witness but agrees to help him get off the hook, in case she files an FIR against him.

The supporting cast is excellent and helps in propelling the narrative forward. Faysal, as the arrogant and supercilious boss, nails the part. Junaid Khan is an on-screen revelation; he has developed into a fine actor.

Saba Qamar steals the show. She is incredibly convincing as a survivor. Saba keeps raising the bar with every performance of hers and has definitely matured into an extremely capable actress. Plays like Cheekh and Baaghi cemented her position as one of the best actresses of the television industry. She has only improved since.

A big-budget production, the play has a slick look. The icing on the cake is the great acting. The dialogues are excellent. With a director par excellence at the helm, the audience is in for a treat.

A far cry from the usual fare, this production promises to raise awareness about a crime committed every day all over the world for which the conviction rate in this country remains abysmally low: a mere 3 per cent. This is partly because the crime is not always reported immediately. There is a lot of pressure on the survivor to not to report it to the authorities.

Will Saba manage to get justice or will Kamran go scot-free? Will Rohit try to protect him or come clean about what he saw? Keep watching to find out.

Verdict: A hard-hitting production, Case No 9 is definitely one to watch out for. Tune in to GEO every Wednesday and Thursday to find out how the plot unfolds.

The writer is an educationist and can be reached at gaiteeara@hotmail.com