'Sindh's artists deserve federal recognition'
An eight-day "Wes-Dhaari Sindhi Theatre Festival 2026" has begun at the Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi, with Sindh Minister for Culture, Tourism and Antiquities Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah attending the opening ceremony.
Speaking at the event, Zulfiqar Ali Shah said Sindh's artists have made their mark not only in Pakistan but also in India and the Gulf countries. However, he said, they have not received the recognition they deserve at the federal level.
The provincial minister said Mahira Khan and Fahad Mustafa had been nominated for awards twice, but the federal government had shown little interest in recognising artists.
"I urge the federal government to pay attention to artists and the cultural sector," he said, adding that prominent artists from Sindh were bringing pride to the country and deserved greater recognition at the national level.
Zulfiqar Ali Shah described Sindh as the "land of Sufis" and said the province had always promoted messages of love, peace and brotherhood. He added that the poetry of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai carried strong messages of humanity, peace, love and respect for women.
The minister also highlighted the importance of theatre in training young performers. He said theatre provides aspiring actors with an opportunity to gain practical experience and learn the finer aspects of acting.
He said Sindhi dramas and artists were popular not only in Pakistan but also in India and the Gulf countries.
Speaking on the occasion, Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi President Muhammad Ahmed Shah said Sindhi theatre had not yet become as established as Urdu theatre. He said the Arts Council had previously organised theatre festivals in different parts of Sindh, including Khairpur and Naushehro Feroze.
The Wes-Dhaari Sindhi Theatre Festival 2026 will continue from August 19 to 27, featuring eight Sindhi plays. A Sindhi drama will be staged every day at 8pm at Auditorium II.
The festival will feature plays including "Tik Tik", "Gungi", "Wayoon Battal", "Wann' Wajae Chhadyae", "Tirkini Daakan", "Bhaley", "Art" and "A Dice".
The festival is free for the public and no tickets have been introduced, allowing people to attend easily. No festival event will be held on 12 Rabi-ul-Awwal.
Zulfiqar Ali Shah said such festivals provide a healthy cultural activity for the people of Sindh and stressed the need to further promote theatre as a platform for training the next generation of artists.