Awami Theatre Festival 2026 opens at Arts Council Karachi, Pakistan

Month-long festival features 29 free plays in Urdu, Punjabi, Sindhi, Seraiki, Balochi and other regional languages

The Arts Council of Pakistan, Karachi, has launched its 25-day Awami Theatre Festival 2026, offering a month-long programme of free performances across Urdu, Punjabi, Sindhi, Seraiki, Balochi and Memon. The festival opened on Tuesday with the Urdu play Seedhi Jaleebi, which tells the story of a Khawaja Sira who sacrifices everything to help a young boy become an actor.

Sindh’s Minister for Culture and Tourism, Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah, attended the opening ceremony as chief guest, alongside Arts Council President Mohammad Ahmed Shah, Chairman of the Drama Committee Shehzad Raza Naqvi, Secretary Ejaz Farooqi, and other members of the arts community.

The festival will feature 29 productions staged daily at 8pm at Arts Council Auditorium II, with additional shows on Saturdays and Sundays. The festival will continue until February 15, concluding before Ramadan, and entry to all performances is free.

Addressing the audience, Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah spoke about the legacy of senior stage performers, noting that artists such as Umar Sharif continue to be remembered decades later. He encouraged Karachi residents to attend the festival regularly and advised young performers to learn from senior artists. The minister said the Sindh government would continue to support artists and that announcements for performers would be made at the closing ceremony. He also highlighted efforts to promote cultural activities across Sindh, including reviving traditional community gatherings.

Arts Council President Mohammad Ahmed Shah said the festival involves between 400 and 500 people, including actors, directors, writers, set designers and technical staff. He emphasised that the festival’s free-entry policy ensures that theatre is accessible to all, noting that nearly 90 per cent of Arts Council programmes are offered without tickets.

Over the course of the festival, productions by a mix of established and emerging directors and writers will be staged, reflecting the diversity of Pakistan’s contemporary theatre scene. Scheduled productions include Mirza Ghalib in Karachi, Hota Hai Shab-o-Roz Tamasha Mere Aage, Bohat Ho Gayi Begum, Yeh Kaisa Daur Hai?, Rab Diyan Rehmatan (Punjabi), Panjo Thino Karo (Memon), Pardes (Seraiki), Kandana Biaay (Balochi), Dil Ji Duniya (Sindhi) and Mujh Mein Tu Maujood, among others.