Fighting guns with comics: ‘An enlightened mind is the only way forward’

Pakistan’s first female cartoonist talks about progressive change through comic books.

ISLAMABAD:

Last year, ace cartoonist Nizar Nazar’s Gogi Studios distributed 16,000 sets of books to children in villages across the country.

Among the recipients was 14-year-old Tahira, who at the time was under pressure to quit school due to financial constraints.

After reading “Ilm ki daulat” which narrated a plight similar to her own, Tahira, who constantly received top grades in her class, got the courage to read the book to her parents. Moved by the story, Tahira’s parents agreed to let her continue her studies.

“I was moved when I received Tahira’s letter telling me how she reformed her parents’ mind. It was so validating to know that comic books can actually make such an impact on someone’s life,” said Pakistan’s first femal cartoonist, Nazar.

With growing extremism and illiteracy, Nazar laments how animations and comic books haven’t been used as educational tools to their full potential.

While talking to The Express Tribune, Nazar, the brainchild behind Pakistan’s iconic Gogi cartoons, explained how comics and animations can be used to bring a progressive change in society. “Tahira’s story was testimony to the fact that children want to see a positive change not only for themselves but for the people around them,” she said.

The artist, who has been producing comic books since almost three decades, said though her studio is full of comic books and children have shown interest in reading animated literature, the books aren’t reaching their target readers. According to her, this is due to the missing link between supply and demand.

“I know that the civil society is eager to educate the country’s children. The intention is there but action isn’t coming through. This, however, can be changed by making volunteers more aware of the avenues for change,” she said.

For this purpose, the cartoonist suggested a novel campaign strategy, whereby privileged youth from private schools can sponsor an impoverished child’s education, making a classroom to classroom exchange which will sensitise various classes of youth to each other.

A book set of her comics, including school bags, notebooks and stationary, are available for Rs1,500. “Privileged children can gain a sense of responsibility as they will be helping another child. Letters can be exchanged, which will revive the decades-old tradition of writing letters,” she explained.

Though the country has seen two generations grow up reading and watching Nazar’s cartoons, such as “Gogi”, “Meena ki kahani” and “Kooray ka jinn”, with dwindling sponsorship and organisations not disseminating the books periodically, the children of the present and future will not get the chance to learn through them.

Going through some of Nazar’s collection, the merit of her comic books is clear. Children can learn important life lessons, diction and creativity with ease and enthusiasm.

Though the cartoonist is hoping to share her work extensively, she is currently aiming to focus on promoting female education. “After I read about the attack on Malala Yousafzai, I said enough is enough. We can’t let our girls live in ignorance and fear. We must fight this battle with education.”

Published in The Express Tribune, October 21^st, 2012.