Siachen comes to Multan Arts Council

The play follows the life of a soldier who leaves his family not knowing what lies ahead

MULTAN: Siachen – a play by Anwar Maqsood – will be presented at the Multan Arts Council between December 15 and December 21. The play has been sponsored by the Multan Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The play valorises the lives and services of Pakistan’s soldiers who perform their duties on the world’s highest battleground – the Siachen glacier.

Addressing reporters at the Multan Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Tuesday, Anwar Maqsood says the play revolves around the life of a soldier. “The protagonist is loyal and obedient. He follows instructions to a tee without raising a question.” The soldier leaves his family without knowing where he’s going and tells them he will return to them. “But he never returns,” Maqsood says.

He says the play was penned with Indo-Pak relations in the backdrop and follows the lives and experiences of various soldiers deployed at Siachen over the last six months. “We have used a 3D set to enhance the experience for the audience…we want them to be able to visualise the way it actually is up there.”

This is Maqsood’s biggest theatre production and has a massive cast.

He says the play has come to Multan after presenting 52 shows in Karachi. Ten shows will be presented at the Multan Arts Council on Wednesday (today). The troupe will return to Karachi for another three months and later travel to London, Dubai and then Peshawar.

“Multan is the city of love shrouded with the blessings and prayers of many saints,” Maqsood says. “I hope the people of Multan like and enjoy our play.”

Published in The Express Tribune, December 16^th, 2015.