The Inter-University Drama Festival, themed "Nashye Se Inkar, Zindagi Se Pyaar" (Say No to Drugs, Yes to Life), concluded on Friday.
Organised under the auspices of the Punjab Arts Council, nine university teams participated in the festival, which was part of a broader campaign against drug addiction. Islamabad Postgraduate College H-8 clinched the first position with its play Aas, Rawalpindi Women University secured second place with Un Dekha Jal, and Foundation University came third with Sarab.
In individual categories, Rida Rehman was awarded Best Writer, Yasin Ahmed Best Director, Ali Naqvi Best Male Actor, and Fiza Faisal Best Female Actor. Usman Ali and Aqsa were recognized as Best Supporting Actors, while Muqaddas Fiza received the Best Villain award.
The event was organised in collaboration with the Higher Education Commission, Anti-Narcotics Force, Shining Stars, and Saffron.
The prize distribution ceremony was attended by Parliamentary Secretary for Information and Culture Shazia Rizwan, Saffron CEO Zahid Mahmood, HEC Focal Person Rana Shafiq, former Arts Council directors Naheed Manzoor and Waqar Ahmed, and current Director Sajjad Hussain.
Renowned actors Anjum Habibi, Syed Basharat Jafri, and Amin Shahzad served as judges throughout the competition. Director Sajjad Hussain thanked participating institutions and guests for their support.
Parliamentary Secretary Shazia Rizwan lauded the Arts Council for using drama to spread awareness about addiction. "Parents must also play a proactive role in keeping youth away from drugs," she said.
Saffron CEO Zahid Mahmood highlighted the value of providing young artists a platform to promote social reform through performance.
The top three winning teams received cash prizes of Rs100,000, Rs75,000, and Rs50,000 respectively. Artist Rana Kashif served as the compère throughout the festival.
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