Famed comedian Majid Jahangir begging on streets of Lahore

‘Fifty Fifty’ star has been living in poverty for three years, unable to work due to paralysis

LAHORE: Pakistani actor Majid Jahangir of Fifty Fifty fame is currently living in very poor conditions, begging on the streets of Lahore to make ends meet. He has displayed banners for help at various spots across the city due to his extreme poverty.

The comedian first earned fame through Fifty Fifty, back in the 1980s. Unfortunately, Jahangir ended up getting paralysed around three years ago after which he was unable to work. Therefore, he moved to Lahore from Karachi with his wife seeking financial help.

PHOTO: PUBLICITY

Jahangir told The Express Tribune about his current situation and how his circumstances forced him to move relocate. He also stated that he has demanded the Government of Pakistan for its support but has had no luck so far. Although the governments of Punjab and Sindh have provided him with financial care in the past, Jahangir is in need of further assistance.

Majid Jahangir of ‘Fifty Fifty’ fame ready for a comeback

The actor shared that he does not even have enough money for food and is also facing many issues with his treatment. “This is the worst time of my life. I am 66 years old and have spent the last three years without work. Besides this, I have a lot of expensive medical bills to pay due to my paralysis.”

“I have been ignored in the past by the Government even after I personally visited all the government offices in Karachi, hoping to get financial assistance but my concerns were not heard,” he continued. “This was the reason I had to move to Lahore because that’s where I receive the most support, especially from my fans. The Punjab government has also helped me in the past but now it’s in a crisis of its own so I can’t expect much from them. Therefore, I have shifted my focus to the public.”

PHOTO: PUBLICITY

Jahangir went on to say that he hoped to attract the public but has failed thus far due to which he decided to take to the streets. “I also do announcements on busy roads and even block the traffic if I need to. “People may have forgotten but I will never forget that I was once a star and so I think it’s a good idea to remind them of who I am so they can help me.”

The former star added, “Acting is in my blood and I want to be fit enough to work on my acting career. I believe that this industry still needs me and I hope that the public will get the chance to see me on the big screen again."

Actor Majid Jahangir receives aid from Punjab government

Other Lahore-based artists have also requested people to support Jahangir. “The artist community should stand up to support Majid Jahangir. If we won’t help our fellow artists, then others won’t either,” said senior director Jarrar Rizvi.

He continued, “There were times when the public would stand in line for hours just to get an autograph from Majid. It truly is a tragedy to see him in such a condition. We artists have a lot of self-respect and I think artist associations really have a duty to actively support Majid.”

Just last week, businessman Malik Riaz promised to help Jahangir financially but the latter is yet to receive anything still.

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