Mashal school: Uncle Sargam lifts spirits at charity show

The NGO offers classes till 10th grade for nearby villages’ residents.

ISLAMABAD: Philanthropy, humour and music joined hands in the federal capital to support the welfare of the deprived.

Residents turned up to attend a charity function organised by the Mashal Association --- an NGO working toward the education and welfare of underprivileged women and children in Islamabad --- at the National Library on Saturday night.

Mashal Association’s President Shahida Azeem briefed the audience on the history of the organisation. Azeem said Mashal started back in 1987 as a small health camp at Bari Imam for the low-income communities living nearby.

Uncle Sargam and Maasi Museebtay had the audience in fits of laughter at the charity show (right), singer Tina Nadir sang classical songs and famous film tunes. PHOTO: WAQAS NAEEM

Over the past two decades, the organisation was able to set up its own building, called “Gosha-e Mashal,” in Margallah Town through charitable support from Islamabad residents, she said. Azeem said an education centre, that offers classes up to 10th grade, has been set up at the building for students from nine surrounding villages.

Farooq Qaiser and his troupe performed skits of their famous puppet act Uncle Sargam at the event. Sargam and his partner-in-crime, Massi Museebtay, had the audience, which mostly composed of Mashal’s members and regular supporters, in stitches with their social and political jokes.



Sargam, voiced by Qaiser himself, made several references to the country’s ruling elites as well as city life in Islamabad, such as that the National Assembly Hall is the only place left in Islamabad to stage a drama and that the Islamabad zoo is a place where innocent animals are sentenced for life but the lions there do not roar because they have free accommodation in the E-sector.

Museebtay and Sargam sparred about the men vs. women debate during the performance and also danced to a popular Bollywood song as the crowd clapped and cheered.

Their act was followed by singer Tina Nadir, accompanied by musicians on tabla and keyboard, who sang famous classical songs and film tunes to entertain the audience.

Earlier, philanthropists, various organisations including the Rotary Club of Islamabad Metropolitan and companies such as the Toyota Motors, pledged support for Mashal Association’s cause. Shamim Zaidi, who works with Mashal and the Rotary Club, said the Club will donate Rs50,000 to the association. Umair bin Khalid, of Toyota Motors, said the company would promote Mashal’s message by putting up donation boxes at their customer lawns. Two short documentary films highlighting Mashal’s work were also shown at the event.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 8^th, 2013.