In a post shared on Instagram by ARY Digital, the organisers announced the awards, which were to be held in Dubai, had been postponed “due to the current situation in the region”.

The post went on to say that “the safety and well-being of our guests, partners and community remain our utmost concern”. The announcement did not mention when the awards would be held, choosing instead to say the new date will be announced “soon”.

The ARY Entertainment Awards were originally scheduled to be held at Dubai’s Coca Cola Arena on May 9, with the date and venue having been announced on February 13, a couple of weeks before a joint US-Israeli attack on Iran unleashed chaos in the region.

Iran’s retaliatory strikes on countries hosting US forces — which includes the UAE — have resulted in a turbulent security outlook for Gulf cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi where people have been killed or wounded by the strikes themselves or from the debris of intercepted missiles and drones.

It is unclear whether the conflict will cool down in the coming days, with US President Donald Trump repeatedly claiming his government is negotiating with Iran, a claim Tehran has denied.

A 15-point American peace plan was sent to Iranian authorities on Wednesday, reportedly through Islamabad, which has since been countered with five conditions that Tehran sees as essential to ending the war.

Troubles with award shows in Dubai aren’t new, though. Even before the war, the Pakistan International Screen Awards — scheduled for November 22 last year — were abruptly postponed two days before the ceremony after a number of attendees faced trouble obtaining visas to travel to the UAE.

The inaugural ceremony of the festival was held in the open in front of the administration block, as per the festival’s yearly routine.

Speaking on the occasion, Faiz Foundation Trust Chairperson Salima Hashmi thanked the Lahore Arts Council (LAC) and other collaborators for organising the festival that would continue for the next two days – Saturday and Sunday.

She said it had been a tradition that every episode of the festival opens with a visual art exhibition. This year, she said, the exhibition is different in its theme and presentation, as it was also the birthday of her father.

Adeel Hashmi from Faiz Foundation said that it’s been ten years since the festival was taking place, but it used to be held earlier too. In the 80s, he said, the event was called Faiz Mela, and later it was given the shape of a festival. “I remember, 10 years ago, the first Faiz festival was attended by only 70 people in Hall 3 of the Alhamra Art Centre, The Mall, but now one could see how wonderful the turnout is.”

Noted lawyer and television personality Naeem Bokhari said the late Shoaib Hashmi would teach his class on economics in 1963. He said today is a special day as it is also Faiz’s birthday.

LAC Board of Governors Chairman Razi Ahmed appealed to the Lahorites to attend the festival with their families in good numbers.

LAC Executive Director Muhammad Nawaz Gondal said Faiz’s poetry was being read world over, wherever Urdu was spoken and read. He welcomed the guests and participants in the festival, hailing from Pakistan as well as abroad. He lauded the Punjab government and Information and Culture Minister Azma Bokhari for supporting such festivals.

The visual arts exhibition presented on the occasion brought together plant science and textile practices to reflect on ecological loss and displacement. By translating endangered flora into stitched textile surfaces, the artist, Naveen Haider, explores how land carries memory and how fragility demands care rather than conquest.

Hyder is a plant scientist and textile artist whose interdisciplinary practice bridges botany and fibre art. Through layered and stitched textiles, she explores themes of fragility, memory, and repair. Her work has been exhibited internationally and engages deeply with questions of land, displacement, and environmental responsibility. Rohma Moeed Khan, the exhibition curator, is a multi-disciplinary artist and an associate professor at the BNU.

There were over 20 book stalls at the festival and a sumptuous food court.

Ajoka Theatre staged its internationally acclaimed play Dara at Alhamra Hall II on the occasion.

Originally published in Dawn, February 14th, 2026

Cover photo via Faiz Foundation / Instagram

The programme for the first day includes a grand inauguration ceremony followed by four book launches, a workshop on digital journalism and a theatre performance of the play Dara — a dramatised account of the power struggle between Mughal Prince Dara Shikoh and his brother, the future Emperor Aurangzeb.

The second day is even more packed with book launches, panel discussions and a condolence reference for the late educationist and scholar Dr Arfa Sayeda Zehra.

The day will start with a dance performance by students of Lahore Grammar School and end with one by classical dancer Nighat Chaudhary. There’s also an open mic, a drum circle, a punjabi mushaira and a musical performance by the band Laal.

The third and final day will have many familiar faces from day two, but also a range of new activities like a puppetry workshop with puppeteer Yamina Peerzada.

The last day also includes a dance performance from Adnan Jahangir as well as an Urdu mushaira. There will also be Urdu readings by Ain Adab and a dastangoi (dramatic storytelling) session.

All in all, the weekend-long programme has 40 sessions and will serve as a launch platform for 25 books this year. The event is also expected to have a variety of cultural stalls and food available onsite for attendees.

No alcohol. No drugs. And the music ended promptly at 10pm.

In Pakistan, a growing number of Gen Z are opting for “sober socialising”, joining a global trend as young people increasingly opt for healthier lifestyles.

Here, though, the shift carries an added appeal: drinking alcohol is illegal for Muslims, who make up the vast majority of Pakistan’s population.

Partying without the pour

They are increasingly turning their backs on the party scene of the past, which often involved underground venues because of the presence of alcohol and drugs, and the risk of running afoul of authorities.

“In Karachi, we don’t have many places to just exist socially,” said Zia Malik, a software entrepreneur attending the event. “This gives you that without having to hide.

“I have visited some underground parties,” he added. “You cannot feel secure.”

At the sports club, crowd numbers were capped. Between breaks in dancing, revellers played padel, a cross between squash and tennis popular in Pakistan.

The event’s organiser, experiential platform 12xperience, had local government approval to host a public party without alcohol.

Creating a safe space

Cameras — both wall-mounted and on drones — monitored the crowd to enforce the no-alcohol policy and to deter fights or harassment, organisers said.

“Without guardrails, you’re just recreating the same risks people are trying to escape,” said Mohammed Usman, founder of 12xperience.

“This is about creating a space where people feel safe,” he said. “Without alcohol, without drugs, without chaos.”

Events like this are popping up across the city of nearly 19 million in growing numbers, mainly at sports facilities and coffee shops, but also at venues such as art galleries and co-working spaces.

Euromonitor data shows Pakistan’s soft drinks market grew more than 27 per cent between 2020 and 2025, and hot drinks — a category that includes coffee — expanded by a similar margin.

While that mirrors a global trend in young people drinking less, Pakistan’s shift has outpaced mature markets such as the United States and Britain, where non-alcoholic beverage volumes have grown only modestly.

Partying within Islamic boundaries

Sociologist Kausar Parveen said the change shows how young Pakistanis have put a modern spin on adapting to the country’s Islamic norms, rather than being a sign they are rejecting them.

“They are not going beyond religion, but reframing how social life happens,” said Parveen, an associate professor at the University of Karachi.

Women-only events are also increasing in popularity, in a country where gender mixing carries cultural stigmas.

“For a lot of women, nightlife comes with conditions of who’s there, how late it runs, how visible it is,” said comedian and influencer Amtul Bajwa, who was hosting the women-only desi music night at her cafe in Karachi, Third Culture Coffee.

“This was about creating a space where women could relax without negotiating those things.”

Options open only to women

Pakistani and Indian music played as women danced without reservations to desi tracks, and the event ended at 9pm sharp.

“You don’t have to worry about who’s watching,” said Fatima, who did not share her last name because her parents did not know she was attending. “Ending early makes it easier to get home.”

Bajwa has also hosted a number of coffee raves for both genders, and recently held a silent disco at her cafe, but said there is particular demand for women-only events.

Price is something of an issue: tickets typically cost between Rs3,000 and Rs7,000 in a country where entry-level monthly salaries tend to be Rs30,000 to Rs40,000, making a single night out a significant expense.

Even so, sober raves have become a significant — and very visible — outlet for Pakistan’s youth.

At the sports club, well-dressed lifestyle bloggers and social media influencers posted photos and videos in real time, something unlikely at parties involving alcohol.

“It’s more available to the masses,” said Shah Zaib, a 27-year-old data analyst attending his third such event. “I love the fact that it’s not underground anymore.”

Scheduled for February 13 and 14, the performance aims to highlight the expressive depth of Kathak, one of South Asia’s most refined classical dance forms. A group of 12 dancers will perform dance pieces choreographed by Mohsin Babar, a leading choreographer and Kathak maestro, at 8pm on both evenings, bringing their years of rigorous practice and dedication towards the art form to stage.

The programme will feature eight dance pieces, presented through a combination of group compositions and solo performances, including classical Kathak repertoire as well as interpretive works such as fusion tarana, ghazal, and other stylistic variations, offering audiences a layered and immersive experience of Kathak’s range and versatility.

“One of the main aims of this show is to break the taboos surrounding dance, especially the ghungroo,” said Babar, as per a press release. “The ghungroo is simply the dancer’s instrument, just as the tabla nawaz has the tabla.”

With 27 years of experience, Babar is known for his disciplined classical practice and his ability to communicate the language of Kathak to contemporary audiences. He has dedicated his career to preserving the integrity of the form — which is increasingly at risk of fading from mainstream cultural spaces — while expanding its reach.

Through his school, Kathak School of Performing Arts, touted as the city’s first academy dedicated to Kathak, Babar offers full scholarships to deserving students who wish to learn the dance form through the lineage system but would otherwise be unable to access such training.

The dancers for this weekend’s performance are all scholarship students trained at the Kathak School of Performing Arts. These dancers represent years of rigorous practice, dedication, and immersion in the classical Kathak tradition.

The ticket for the event is priced at Rs1,500 and is available online via Townevent as well as at the venue.

In the words of the Managing Director of the main organiser Oxford University Press (OUP) Pakistan, Arshad Saeed Husain, the event “enthralled, captivated, satiated and prompted deep thought”.

This year’s theme of the KLF, ‘Literature in a fragile world’, was felt deeply in the concluding day’s keynote address by the acclaimed writer Mohammed Hanif, who earlier in the day also had the launching of his latest book Rebel English Academy.

While offering his translation to ‘fragile world’ as “dangerous times”, he said literature festivals such as the KLF bring together people who love books and some who pretend they like books to impress others.

“But I also have friends who don’t read or write and they are perfectly fine people, too,” he reminded.

Getting more serious then, he said that he wanted to tell a story since books are about stories. “It is a story about a boy who was slightly more literary than others. His name is Junaid Hafeez and he was born in the small district of Rajanpur into a regular struggling family,” he began his story, while adding about how brilliant the boy was. “He topped in FSc and easily got admission to the King Edward Medical University in Lahore where after two years of acing all exams he falls in love with books. Reading all kinds of literature, he could lay his hands on, he suddenly realised that he is no longer interested in becoming a doctor because he thought that with that he would be living a singular life but with reading and writing he could live many lives within one life. Therefore, he quit medicine,” he said.

“A scholarship got him into a Master’s programme in a US university. From there he retu­rned for an MPhil from the Bahauddin Zakariya Unive­rsity following which he started teaching. And one day, while teaching he said something which got him arrested, charged with blasphemy and sentenced to death. His first lawyer was also shot dead. No judge is interested in hearing his case. But sitting in his solitary cell for the last 13 years he wrote a poem with each of its verses ending with ‘you’. He is looking to you to do for him whatever is in your power. And if you think that he did say something that was so wrong, then say a quiet prayer for him,” he concluded.

Earlier, the day opened with an inter-school debate on ‘Literature Today: Elitist or Essential?’, setting the tone for discussions on access, relevance, and the future of ideas.

The screening of the short film Screen Locked resonated with those addicted to their mobile phones and social media.

“Umar Mujhay Likhti Hai by Kishwar Naheed’ was another beautiful session moderated by senior journalist and poet Fazil Jamili with the panel comprising Kishwar Naheed, Syed Jaffar Ahmed, Noorul Huda Shah and Najeeba Arif. On being read out by the moderator, Kishwar Naheed’s famous poem Hum Gunahgar Aurtein earned a standing ovation yet again.

Ghazi Salahuddin said that the government can close down a newspaper in half an hour and a channel within 10 minutes. “But the challenge is to run these successfully while taking on the pressure,” he said. He also said that with the closing of The Herald and Newsline magazines, investigative journalism itself died here as no one was interested in it anymore.

A public interest session about ‘Media in the emerging world order’ had journalists Amber Rahim Shamsi, Ghazi Salahuddin, Azhar Abbas, Owais Tohid and Nadia Naqi highlight the challenges faced by the media today.

Another session about ‘Pakistani TV Drama: Adakari, hidayatkari ya kahani’ with Ahmad Ali Akbar, Saife Hasan, Zhalay Sarhadi and Alyy Khan, which was moderated by Raju Jamil, ran into extra time as the panellists debated whether the story, clothes, looks, makeup, sets or script matter more in making a play a big hit with the audience.

‘The great KLF debate: will AI take over?’ attracted enthusiastic audience participation. Salma Alam, CEO Durbeen said, “We are planning on scaling up teachers’ skills. A good teacher is a good educator. We are working on a public-private partnership to set up a graduate programme to produce teachers’ educators.”

In two arty sessions, Amin Gulgee spoke about his book Gulgee Museum: The Handbook with Niilofur Farrukh and with Nicolas Engel about ‘Museums without borders: A curator’s journey’.

Originally published in Dawn, February 9th, 2026

Cover by Shakil Adil/ White Star

Basant, a traditional festival marking the start of spring, has been a part of Lahore’s cultural calendar for centuries. Festivities in the past have had that signature ‘loud and proud’ touch the city is known for, with music playing across the ancient city as young and old alike engaged in spirited kite-battles.

The festival was banned in 2007 after the use of strengthened and glass-coated kite strings led to an increasing number of deaths, especially among motorcyclists.

The 18-year hiatus means a whole generation grew up without knowing how to celebrate, so we thought we’d give them a crash course on what to do and what not to do this Basant weekend.

Do follow the dress code

Yes, Basant has a dress code. The festival celebrates the season of flowers and you’re supposed to dress accordingly. Think traditional-wear in bright yellows, reds, greens and pinks. Basically, if you can wear it to a mehendi, you can wear it on Basant!

Do sing and dance

You can’t have a party in Lahore without some bhangra and Basant is no exception. Expect dhols, traditional Basant anthems on speakers, singing and some good old fashioned dancing.

Do fly — and battle — kites

You can’t have Basant without kites, we don’t make the rules. So, go up to your roof and fly them. Just remember, others will try to cut you out of the sky, so maybe read up on flying and take down techniques first.

Do enjoy some traditional food

Another Lahore party essential — food and drinks. We recommend having a traditional breakfast of channay and halwa puri to start the day, followed by samosas, pakoras and jalebis if you’re looking for a snack. Oh, and healthy amounts of ice-cold lassi to wash everything down and keep cool throughout the day.

Do get your supplies from authorised dealers

Okay, now onto the serious part, Basant supplies like kites and string are heavily regulated in an effort to ensure public safety and order. When buying them, make sure the seller is authorised by the provincial government and that the kite and string both have QR codes on the packing.

This will ensure you don’t buy illegal material like unsafe string, the possession and use of which can result in heavy fines. Government-sanctioned suppliers have been selling Basant supplies since February 1 across Lahore and will continue to do so till February 8.

Do get safety rods installed on your motorcycle

Another safety precaution is the installation of safety rods on motorcycles. The metal structures, attached to the front of bikes, are meant to ensure strings don’t tangle around riders’ necks or cut them as they traverse the city’s streets.

Don’t use prohibited strings

The use of nylon, metal and glass-coated kite strings — which cause serious and sometimes fatal injuries to people who get caught in them — were the biggest reason Basant and kite flying as a whole were banned in 2007.

Motorcyclists were particularly vulnerable to injuries or even fatal accidents while speeding through the narrow lanes of the Walled City, where almost invisible stray kite strings could appear out of nowhere.

The government has approved the use of nine-thread cotton strings which are available at retailers across the city.

Don’t forget to read up on flying regulations

Aside from strings, kites are also regulated this year, with specific approved sizes, specifications and a ban on political imagery. There are also no-fly zones, especially around the airport where kites can be a danger to aircraft taking off or landing.

Avoid flying kites where you’re not supposed to and make sure to follow all the rules.

Don’t play music too loud

This isn’t even a Basant thing, it’s just being a good neighbour. Make sure your celebrations aren’t inconveniencing people around you and be especially mindful if your neighbours are elderly or have young children.

Don’t engage in celebratory gunfire

This also isn’t just a Basant thing. Celebratory gunfire is dangerous, the stray bullets can hurt people and damage property!

Don’t forget to use sunscreen

The forecast so far says Lahore will see clear, kite-ready skies over Basant weekend and that means you’ll need sunscreen if you want to stay out all day. Seriously, while we endorse enjoying a pakora or two, we don’t recommend getting fried like one.

Don’t forget to take advantage of all the freebies

With the festival returning after such a long hiatus, the celebrations will definitely include some free stuff. The government, for example, is offering free rides on all public transport and on rickshaws working with ride-sharing apps from Feb 4 to 6.

Stores and restaurants are also giving out kites to patrons, symbolic of a city getting ready to re-embrace its fun-loving side.

One last piece of advice, Basant is supposed to be a city-wide celebration, a party where everyone is invited. So, be responsible, be mindful of others and have fun!

Cover photo: Murtaza Ali/White Star

Bringing together star alumni and leading designers Sania Maskatiya, Nida Azwer, and Khaadi’s Saira Shamoon and Shamoon Sultan, the show was held to raise funds for the expansion of IVS’ campus, aimed at accommodating its growing roster and strengthening facilities for future generations.

Former model and fashion industry veteran Frieha Altaf, who attended the event in a vintage Sania Maskatiya ensemble, summed up the mood perfectly. Speaking to Images, she said she was there not just to celebrate the designers, but to support a cause that deeply matters. Calling Maskatiya, Azwer and the Sultans “very, very good designers,” Altaf reflected on how IVS is often associated with art and textiles rather than fashion — despite producing some of the industry’s biggest names

“We’re here to celebrate them, we’re here to celebrate, it is very important when there is a success story,” she said, reminiscing about having done Maskatiya’s and Sultan’s very first shows, and emphasising the importance of supporting scholarships and campus growth.

The evening began with a meet-and-greet in the courtyard of IVS’ iconic Nusserwanjee Building — a space many may recognise from Zindagi Gulzar Hai’s university scenes. The open-air courtyard was warmly lit, with long scroll-like fabric installations suspended overhead using fine wiring, creating a makeshift canopy in shades of blue, red and brown to represent the three elements.

The fashion show itself unfolded in IVS’ garden, with the stone masonry of the Nusserwanjee Building serving as a historic colonial-era backdrop.

The century-old building once stood as a warehouse and office in the busiest areas of Karachi, Kharadar. Named after Jamshed Nusserwanji, it was originally constructed by his father in 1903. An additional wing to the building was erected in 1919 using RCC for columns, beams and roof and coursed stone masonry. In 1991, the Nusserwanji building was destined to be demolished; simultaneously, the founders of the Indus Valley School were searching for an appropriate space to house the school. Through the support of the US Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation and US Consulate General, Sindh Exploration and Adventure Society (SEAS) and IVS successfully completed one of the biggest stone-by-stone relocation projects of its kind in the subcontinent, by relocating the building from Kharadar to IVS’ campus in Clifton.

Choreographed by model Vaneeza Ahmed, with Ali Allah Ditta on sound, the show was hosted by actor and IVS alumna Sarwat Gilani. Before the runway began, Dr Faiza Mushtaq, dean and executive director of IVS, addressed the audience, outlining the institution’s academic offerings, student body, and a three-year expansion plan. She invited those present to become “founding donors” for the new campus, which aims to add labs, classrooms and updated equipment.

Zubyr Soomro, chair at IVS, reminded the audience that what they were about to witness went beyond garments and glamour. “Tonight is a celebration of what our alumni can do, but more importantly it is a reminder of where it comes from,” he noted.

Singer and activist Shehzad Roy and musician Bilal Maqsood — part of IVS’ very first graduating batch — also took the stage, sharing personal reflections on the institution’s role in shaping Karachi’s creative ecosystem.

Each designer was assigned a single element from the three, and their entire collection revolved around that element.

The show opened with Shamoon and Saira’s earth-inspired collection. Earthy tones, natural dyes and handloom textures defined the line.

Browns dominated the lawn pieces, while solid colours featured in the handloom looks, offering a blend reminiscent of both Khaadi and Chapter 2. The designers experimented with airy silhouettes, pairing the outfits with tassel bags.

Water flowed next through Maskatiya’s collection, which leaned into softness and movement.

Pastel tones, organza, ruffles and fluid, mermaid-like silhouettes defined the line, with natural textures and an almost weightless quality that mirrored the element itself.

Fire closed the night in the form of Azwer’s bridal collection — dramatic, and layered. Moving through cool greys, ivories and rich reds, the collection bridged heritage and modernity with intricate “mirror, fine thread, vasli, resham and applique work”.

“I am showcasing a collection which is describing my entire design philosophy […] it is a beautiful collection based on fire, we have all the hues from sunrise to sunset,” Azwer told Images.

The night concluded with an address by legendary artist and founder of IVS’ Faculty of Design, Shehnaz Ismail, giving an apt ending to a night arranged to honour creativity, not just as a spectacle, but as legacy.

The second day of the festival witnessed vibrant sports activities and strong public participation. A fun marathon and a four-kilometre cycling were the mega events of the day. Attracting a large number of enthusiastic participants from all walks of life. Both events were highly enjoyed by the participants.

Cash prizes of Rs 10,000 were awarded to the winners of both competitions, encouraging healthy lifestyles and community engagement through sports.

The festival offered a wide range of attractions, including tourism stalls, live cooking, family and kids’ activities, food stalls, cultural exhibitions, provincial tourism pavilions, live cultural performances, painting competition, display of an army band, wall rock climbing, adventure base camp, street curling, paragliding, hot air ballooning and a vintage car show.

In the evening, the audience enjoyed lively cultural and musical performances from different regions of Pakistan. The event culminated with a grand musical concert followed by a spectacular fireworks display, which lit up the sky and marked a memorable conclusion to the festival.

Railway Minister Hanif Abbasi, while attending the closing ceremony, appreciated the efforts of the PM’s National Coordinator on Tourism, Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan and the PTDC team for organising the festival.

Sardar Ilyas said that the festival demonstrated the immense potential of Pakistan as a family-friendly, vibrant and welcoming tourism destination, highlighting strong public participation and cultural diversity.

Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani, Secretary, Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC), remarked that the mega event was a result of effective inter-ministerial coordination and collective efforts of all stakeholders, contributing significantly to promoting domestic tourism and social cohesion.

PDTC chief Aftabur Rehman Rana expressed satisfaction over the outcome of the festival, adding that PTDC was proud to have facilitated and coordinated the first-of-its-kind event in Islamabad.

He said the larger number of participants by the public indicated growing interest in tourism-led recreational initiatives.

Originally published in Dawn, February 2nd, 2026

Photos by Mohammad Asim/White Star

Organised by Oxford University Press Pakistan, this year’s festival will explore the theme “Literature in a Fragile World”, examining how stories, poetry, and critical thought respond to social, political, and cultural uncertainty and change.

“In an increasingly fractured world, literature remains one of the last spaces where dogmas can be questioned, and humanity can speak to itself without fear,” said OUP Pakistan Managing Director Arshad Saeed Husain, reflecting on the festival’s purpose.

This year, the festival will host over 200 delegates from eight countries, featuring more than 90 sessions, 28 book launches in three languages, two documentaries, and two feature films.

Keynote speakers include Senator Sherry Rehman, Mohammed Hanif, Nasir Abbas Nayyar, and Khurshid Rizvi, alongside a distinguished lineup of writers, poets, critics, and thinkers from Pakistan and abroad.

The 17th edition of the festival will bring together a diverse group of of writers, thinkers, and literature enthusiasts, including celebrated director Sharmeen Obaid‑Chinoy, Professor Richard Susskind CBE KC (Hon), one of the world’s leading thinkers on law and the impact of artificial intelligence, Scottish historian and filmmaker Sam Dalrymple, and novelist Laline Paull.

New features this year include The Great KLF Debate, Sindhi Mushairo, and an interschool debate reinforcing the festival’s commitment to youth engagement, linguistic diversity, and civic dialogue. The programme also includes dramatic renditions, classical music performances, theatre, rap, and qawwali, woven seamlessly into literary discourse.

The festival features a special session celebrating the 150th anniversary of the birth of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, including the screening of Jinnah introduced by filmmaker Jamil Dehlavi, as well as a panel exploring Allama Iqbal’s thought, poetry, and continuing relevance. A session celebrating the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth is also a part of the programme.

A Youth Pavilion will offer storytelling, theatre, and hands-on workshops for younger visitors.

The festival will also announce the winners of the 2026 KLF–Getz Pharma Book Prizes, recognising outstanding works in English fiction, Urdu prose, and poetry.

The ceremony was presided over by SU Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Fateh Mohammad Marri.

A large number of scholars, writers, poets and lovers of fine arts, besides the university’s faculty members, students and employees, attended the captivating show.

Renowned sughars (folk scholars, storytellers and entertainers) amused the audience with their art of storytelling, singing and rendition of poetry, riddles, proverbs and various other genres of fine arts to earn great applause.

Folk artists mesmerised listeners with soulful tunes of different musical instruments including alghoza and chang. Distinguished sughars who performed at the event included Aajiz Rehmatullah Lashari, Khadim Hussain Manglo, Ali Gul Rind, Ali Akbar Udasi Chandio, Mohammad Jamman Bhatti, Allah Dino Brohi, Qazi Badruddin, Shakeel Ahmed Chandio, Talib Hussain Bhambhro, Halima Chandio, Mehrun-Nisa Manglo, Dilbar Gaincho and Abdul Ghafoor Depar.

Renowned chang player Wali Mohammad Khaskheli, alghoza player Saen Dino Brohi, and singers Mansoor Abbasi, Dr Nabi Bakhsh Narejo and Rahat Sikandar Burdi enthralled the audience with their performance.

Prominent among the distinguished guests included Larkano University Vice Chancellor Dr Naik Mohammad Shaikh and Sindh University Registrar Sajid Qayoom Memon.

The proceedings were conducted by Aajiz Rehmatullah Lashari.

Addressing the ceremony, VC Professor Marri said that such cultural events are part of Sindhology’s long-standing traditions. “Their purpose is to promote Sindh’s centuries-old culture, provide healthy entertainment to people and spread a message of love, peace and tolerance through cultural expressions,” he said.

He described the performances of sughars, musicians and vocalists as truly outstanding.

He said the core objective of Sindhology is to collect, preserve and promote Sindh’s ancient history, culture and heritage, and disseminate knowledge and literary works.

Originally published in Dawn, January 26th, 2026

Cover photo: University of Sindh/Instagram

Karachiites brave the cold for Geek Con

The two-day event, held on January 24 and 25 from 4pm to 10pm, was more than a pop-culture gathering — it was a space where generations met, mingled, and, in a rare and effortless manner, blended.

“This is the one place where the whole generation gap kind of dissolves,” 35-year-old cosplayer Hafsa Mahida told Images. Dressed as Luisa Madrigal from Disney’s Encanto, she said she spent a month gathering materials and a week putting her costume together.

“If you love anime, manga or comics, you belong here. No one gives you looks. People are welcoming. This is the place where you are you.”

The event saw children in colourful costumes moving among stalls selling anime-inspired merchandise, acrylic swords, jewellery and accessories, while young adults could be seen clustered around gaming screens, joysticks in hand. Some attendees lingered over steaming cups of chai, letting the warmth seep through their fingers as anisong drifted from the outdoor stage. Others were absorbed in board games in the covered area or browsing through manga and comic collections. Everyone was fully immersed in the experience.

At its core, Geek Con is a celebration of fandom and imagination, a subculture that has grown from niche to something far more visible over the years, according to organiser Yasir Obaid. “You can be into literally anything. It can be gaming, anime, or comic books. You just need an imaginative mind. You can come out, meet new people, make friends, and have a safe space where you can fully express yourself,” he explained.

The event was bigger and livelier than in previous years. “The crowd had grown so much that navigating the venue was almost a challenge. Certainly a good problem to have,” 27-year-old Obaid said with a chuckle.

Visitors enjoyed a mix of performances, from a vintage Linkin Park set reimagined with anime music videos to a high-energy, anime-themed dance routine by Anarchy. There were karaoke sessions that let fans belt out their favourite anime and pop songs, while interactive games like Jeeto Geek Con and Harry Potter-style challenges kept participants engaged and competing for prizes. Away from the stage, stalls serving dainty snacks and anime-inspired treats added flavour to the event, giving guests a chance to refuel between activities.

A separate area was set up for gaming enthusiasts, where Tekken 8 tournaments and Pakistan Pro League sessions were held, with players and spectators cheering and groaning at every move. On the other side of the same hall, card games hosted by The Gamekeeper’s Guild drew small, focused crowds, while the fan art display, “Wall of Heroes,” attracted people eager to admire the work of local artists.

Why fans keep coming back

Thirty-five-year-old Ayesha Amir, who was visiting from Sydney, Australia, with her sister, told Images that she initially came to the event reluctantly but was pleasantly surprised. “I’ve been a fan of anime and manga since I was 12, but I’d never been to one of these events here,” she said, seated quietly in a corner, smiling as children passed by in handmade costumes. “The passion here is very real. People are open about what they love. It’s getting people out of their houses in a positive environment.”

Speaking about what drew her to anime, she said it had always been about escapism. “When you watch it, you forget all your worries. It calms you down.”

Another participant, Rahima Tahir, 31, cosplaying as Lucy, a disguise worn by Monkey D Luffy in One Piece, shared how anime shaped her outlook. “Whenever I’m down, I watch Naruto,” she said. “It teaches you to always get up and never fall down.” She has been following manga and anime since childhood, saying that while subcultures like this were niche in Pakistan, they had the power to positively influence identity and motivation.

Another participant, 50, had come with her son, braving the cold despite needing to leave early. “You have to be young at heart to watch anime,” she said. “Age is not a limit at all.” She pointed out that in many countries, fans in their 70s also attend conventions, and it was completely acceptable. “Anime is emotional. When I watch it, I forget all my worries.”

She and her son had just watched the latest episode of Jujutsu Kaisen season three the day before and were excited to watch it again. “I did feel like I belonged here. Even if most people are younger, age doesn’t matter. We explored the stalls, tried some food, and just enjoyed the atmosphere.”

When asked what she would tell someone unfamiliar with conventions, she said, “Pakistan has so much potential for events like this. Anime is such an emotional part of people’s lives. It connects you to the story and the characters and helps you forget your worries.”

Cosplay, creativity taking the centre stage

For teenagers like 16-year-old Ayzel Asif, who came to participate in the cosplay walk as Hornet from the game Silksong, blending into the multigenerational crowd was effortless. “Everyone is so sweet here,” she told Images, shivering slightly. “I love it, but I wish it weren’t so cold. Being happy makes you forget about that. The management is good. It feels nice to be here.”

Other participants spoke about the freedom the event offered from judgement. Aiman Raza, 29, who cosplayed as Velma from Scooby-Doo, said, “People think it’s just cartoons. But anime isn’t for kids. This is where you can be free from stereotypes and just enjoy yourself.”

Mohid Ali Khan, 25, who chose to cosplay as Naked Snake from Metal Gear Solid 3, said the costume was a nod to his childhood and the generational shift in pop culture tastes. “It’s not really about a niche community,” he explained. “It’s more about the generational gap. Our elders grew up with old actors and singers, then we moved on to comics, and now Gen Z is into anime and video games. It just keeps evolving.”

He made his costume largely by hand, including parts fashioned from his mother’s old leather purse. “I just bought the fabric and built the rest myself. It took me a day,” he said.

On the cost of the hobby, he shrugged and said, “Every hobby costs something. Games are expensive. But the point isn’t spending but enjoyment, the peace it gives you. There are cheaper options too, but this was my choice. It’s about creativity, growing up, and having a little escape. Like drawing, it’s a dopamine rush. Sometimes you just want to chill and immerse yourself.”

Eshal Hasan, 22, who came to the event cosplaying as popular anime character Frieren, stole the show with a costume that combined creativity and technical flair. She even carried a staff fitted with a 3D hologram fan, which projected moving, glowing images that simulated magical effects. Fans couldn’t resist taking pictures with her.

“I chose it because I thought I could do a lot with this cosplay, including my hijab,” she said. “And with the hologram, I thought it could be really creative.” Most of the components were ordered online from eBay and assembling everything took around two weeks.

“I love the event,” she said. “I did the art competition, and everyone was so friendly. The vibe is great, and I’m really happy with it. And if someone comes here for the first time and doesn’t know much about anime or comics, they’ll want to get into it. They’ll be motivated to be part of this culture.”

She smiled at the excitement around her: “People came to take pictures with me because the costume was so creative.”

Gaming zones and fan art drawing crowds

Ali Osman Khan, 34, who had come to set up a board games stall, couldn’t resist taking a break to wander into the gaming zone. “When you’re playing, you imagine yourself as that character,” he said. “Video games or board games, it’s the same. You step into someone else’s shoes for a while.”

He chuckled when talking about the stigma adults sometimes face for gaming. “People say, ‘Big boy, you’re playing a game?’ But this is our life too. Your job, your kids — that’s reality. This is just for fun, a way to unwind.”

Ali Ansar, a 23-year-old helping set up a card game stall, attended Geek Con for the first time. “This is very fun, very interactive. It feels inclusive. Every kind of person comes to this space. It allows everyone to interact together,” he said.

Keeping their inner child alive

Cosplayers didn’t let the winter chill stop them. When asked about the cold weather, Shahzain Aslam, 27, shirtless and barefoot as he cosplayed Akaza from Demon Slayer, shrugged and said, “You’ve got to do what you’ve got to do.” Mustafa Afridi, 36, dressed as Vander from Arcane, described the event as a way of keeping “the inner child alive”.

As the final cosplay walk ended and the closing ceremony drew near, the crowd stayed. Children, parents, those who came for the first time, and lifelong fans huddled together against the cold, united by stories, games, and imagination. As the Luisa Madrigal cosplayer said, this was a space where generations blended, barriers faded, and everyone, no matter their age, could be themselves.

“If you love this, you can be a part of it,” she said. “Even if you grew up in the 90s or with older characters, you can bring them to life. You don’t have to follow new trends or Gen Z. Any character you love, you belong here.”

Cover image by Tahir Jamal/ White Star

The session took the form of a conversation between the two speakers. Sirajuddin gave a brief introduction of Hanif, saying that his broadcast in Punjabi from the BBC was of great interest for many, as he conveyed his thoughts to the ordinary people in a very cool and impressive manner. She said perhaps the author found an escape from the stress of journalism and started writing fiction.

To a question, Hanif said he had undergone schooling in the military school system but ended up in civilian life. He held his teacher and editor, Razia Bhatti, in high esteem. He said she told him how to tell a story, where to place sentences to create the effect the story needed. In a lighter vein, he said Bhatti used to tell him the media had never been free; perhaps that’s why the journalist later started writing novels.

Sirajuddin lauded Hanif for his use of wonderful metaphors and phrases. She said character names like Teddy Butt and Joseph Bhatti carried significance in his books and added that he used cinematic images in his novels. His use of caricature in description made for very interesting characters.

While talking about literature as resistance, Hanif mentioned Junaid Hafeez who had written poetry as a medical student in Lahore. The author said he had read some of the student’s poems, adding that Hafeez was arrested and sentenced to death.

Sirajuddin further threw light on Hanif’s writings, saying that he used comedy as a weapon, a tradition that went back to the Greeks. She also mentioned his book, Red Birds, and read excerpts to the crowd, commenting on how it drew from experiences in flying.

Child marriage

A session on ‘Child Protection and Interventions against Early Marriage in Pakistan’, was held at the Afkar-e-Taza ThinkFest happening at Alhamra Arts Council where speakers explored various aspects of child marriage in the country.

Jennifer Malton from Unicef said: “80 per cent of children in Pakistan experience violence, 26 million children are out of school, eight million are engaged in child labour. A strong legal framework is there but there are gaps in it”.

She talked about child abuse and children might be better protected from it. She added that children were very important and it was important to listen to their wishes and thoughts. Children, she said, need quality education, nutritious food and for academia and students to amplify their voices.

Justin Jones from Oxford University talked about child marriage, saying that according to statistics, 21pc women were married off as children in Sindh, southern Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and some parts of Balochistan. He added that the outcome of such marriages was often negative and that domestic violence was often connected to child marriage.

He underlined the need to review the birth registration process as a measure against child marriage and discussed the roles of Nikah Khawans and registrars in the practice.

Sara Malkani, a lawyer from Karachi, explained the legal framework around child marriage, saying Sindh was the first province to fix the legal age for marriage at 18. Earlier, she said, boys had to be 18 to be wed, while girls could be married off at 16.

Later, other provinces also followed this age bracket. She said when it comes to laws against child marriage, implementation in Sindh was very weak. She said many minor girls were choosing to marry minor boys by eloping together. She stressed that rethinking the legal framework for addressing the issue was important.

Muhammad Faisal Khalil, also from Oxford, discussed the negative role of Nikah Khawans and registrars in the case of child marriages. He said the birth registration rate was very low and investment was needed in the welfare of children and old people.

Originally published in Dawn, January 24th, 2026

Cover photo: ThinkFest/Instagram

For its 10th edition, WIFF is returning to Islamabad for a two-day celebration at the Silk Road Culture Centre on February 14 and 15, marking a decade of women-led storytelling that has steadily grown from a small, stubborn idea into one of Pakistan’s most consistent independent film platforms.

Organised by the women-led community organisation Women Through Film, this year’s festival — dubbed WIFFX — is being dubbed both a milestone and a homecoming.

Screenings and discussions will run from 4pm to 9pm on both days, and early bird registrations are already live, with organisers urging audiences to secure their spots before the usual last-minute rush.

The full two-day schedule is already up on the festival’s website for anyone wanting to plan ahead. Day one will include screenings of Seemab Gul’s Ghost School and Javeria Waseem’s A B C, among other films, while day two features films including Aisha Hamid’s Ponytail and Mahsa Ahmadzadeh’s Hidden Moon. In total, nine films are set to be screened on the first day, with a longer slate of 13 screenings scheduled for the second day.

According to its website, WIFF has spent much of the past decade operating on momentum, community goodwill and the persistent belief that women’s stories deserve more than occasional, tokenistic screen time. The festival was founded to represent stories of women and depict the diverse and multifaceted roles they play in society, as well as the struggles they face.

According to founder and director Madeeha Raza, it has also served as a space where female filmmakers can network, collaborate and celebrate one another’s work.

WIFF’s origins go back to 2016 and 2017, when Women Through Film was set up in response to a fairly obvious but often ignored problem: women were present in Pakistani cinema, but their stories were usually filtered through male perspectives. The first edition of the festival, launched in 2017, positioned itself as a home-grown platform for self-expression, citizen journalism and what the organisers described as the “raw power of the female gaze”.

Between 2018 and 2021, the festival evolved into what its organisers now describe as a sanctuary for social-impact cinema, supported at different points by the European Union and the German Embassy. Even as independent film struggled for funding and screens, and as the pandemic forced cultural events to rethink how they functioned, WIFF managed to keep its programming going, building links between international filmmakers and Pakistani audiences and reinforcing the fact that women-centred narratives are not niche add-ons.

The years that followed saw the festival grow more ambitious. From 2022 to 2024, WIFF expanded into a multi-city event, with editions held in Karachi, Lahore and Peshawar in addition to Islamabad, supported by partners such as the British Council and the embassies of France, Spain and Ukraine.

According to its organisers, this 10th edition marks 10 consecutive years of programming, making it the longest-running women’s international film festival in Pakistan. Returning to Islamabad, where it first found its footing, is less about nostalgia and more about acknowledging the community that helped keep it afloat in its early, uncertain years.

For audiences, that means two evenings of curated screenings and conversations that reflect the festival’s long-standing commitment to women’s perspectives, rather than a glossy anniversary spectacle that forgets why the festival started in the first place.

Cover photo via WIFF

The two-day registration-only festival, after having made its Quetta, Gujranwala and Islamabad runs, is now set to commence in Karachi at Nani Ghar from January 10, followed by a Lahore run starting from January 17.

Starting at 2pm on both days, this year’s CPDF will feature a curated selection of 12 local and international documentary films spanning various genres, largely reflecting the social realities we live in.

DAP is an association for local documentary filmmakers aimed at providing mentorship, community and a platform for under-represented non-fiction stories of Pakistan through the art of filmmaking. As part of their initiative to bring Pakistani stories to the screen, DAP initiated the first edition of CPDF back in 2019 — where the volunteer-run film festival showcased documentaries themed around stories of migration and conflict, bringing international award-winning Pakistani films to audiences at home, including Emmy winner Armed with Faith, as well as A Walnut Tree and Sindhustan.

Anam Abbas, co-founder of DAP, urged film enthusiasts to visit the festival this year if they are looking for an “uncensored” curation of films.

“If you have been watching Pakistan Idol and crying like me, come connect with Pakistani filmmakers and feel joy in bravery, authenticity, and a unique point of view these artists have to offer,” she wrote while listing down reasons not to miss the festival.

Co-founder Tazeen Bari promised a trip to the photo studio in Quetta, a quest for happiness in the mountains of Bhutan, and an exploration of a Palestinian woman’s heart searching for her past, all in one place.

With a subsidised entry ticket, DAP continues to focus on popularising the culture of documentary watching in the country by organising film screenings in public spaces across Pakistan, in addition to being an initiative that aims to promote the art of documentary and strengthen the community of documentary filmmakers in Pakistan.

For our readers who often wonder where to access independent Pakistani documentaries, this is your cue to run to Nani Ghar to catch a few!

This may surprise a significant number of readers, given the online criticism that followed the event, which included rants by piqued nominees who had not won an award. And let’s not forget the barrage of comments from trollers about how certain results had been unfair, and how a major part of the show had been dull, despite feeble attempts at being entertaining.

It’s true — the LSA ceremony this year had its flaws — but it also delivered big time on one major, essential requirement: star power.

Unrivalled star power

Stars and high-octane glamour have always been a leitmotif for the LSAs — until a few years ago, when celebrity attendance began to wane. A significant number of stars began demanding payment to make an appearance. And let’s not forget the controversies that would inevitably ensue after the nominations — and then the winners — were announced. Across the entertainment and fashion industries, miffed power players would often start speaking openly about not “believing” in awards.

The global political climate didn’t help matters. A perpetually fluctuating economy, the threat of war — and then an actual war with India earlier this year — had made it difficult for the LSAs to host a power-packed, enthralling ceremony the way it used to in the good old days.

As the LSAs stumbled over one road bump after another, the ceremony’s golden days of yore were often remembered. Were they never to return? It was a pessimistic train of thought, and perhaps it can be dismissed for now, because this year’s LSAs have given one hope.

They may have, at some point, declared their disinterest in the silver LSA statuette and yet, at the sit-down affair organised at Karachi’s Mohatta Palace this year, seated right in front of the stage were some of Pakistani entertainment’s most famous names.

The channel heads were there, so were top-tier directors and mainstream actors. The ‘it’ musicians — epitomising cool with their wardrobes, hair and careless swaggers — occupied the more boisterous tables. The fashion set were, as always, amongst the best dressed — the tables with the coiffured and designer wear-clad participants were theirs.

Location, location, location

The fact remains that, for better or for worse, the LSAs remain the country’s longest-standing awards ceremony. They are the only consistent platform which aims to recognise achievements in fashion and entertainment, without aligning itself with one TV channel or brand.

Other award ceremonies may have gained popularity — the Hum TV Network comes to mind — but the LSAs are the only platform that represents the industry as a whole. Whether this representation is a fair one or not is a long and tedious debate but, love it or hate it, nominees want to attend the event, they want to win, and they arrive prepared with winning speeches, just in case the trophy comes their way.

From a pragmatic point of view, another reason for the better turnout at the LSAs this year was possibly the location. The traffic jams and potholes strewn along the route to the Expo Centre, where the event is usually held, are a debilitating reality. Taking the relatively more placid route to the Mohatta Palace Museum in Clifton is far easier.

The historic site also provided a gorgeous backdrop to the show, and it was lit up with multicoloured spotlights, a grand piano being played in the front garden, with a red carpet laid out on the side — all of which added glamour and atmosphere to the star-studded event.

The good and the bad…

Abida Parveen’s performance — which took place towards the tail-end of the show — was particularly amplified by the location. One of the country’s most iconic performers, singing her best-loved hits live, with the historic facade of the Mohatta Palace in the background, the LSAs delivered very well in this instance.

The incorporation of a combined act featuring young ‘it’ musicians was also a great idea. Hasan Raheem, Aashir Wajahat, Nayel Wajahat, Nehaal Naseem and Afusic all graced the stage, rendering some of their most popular songs and then singing together. High on energy and fun, not to mention youthful music, the performances had the audience clapping along and cheering.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about the other segments in the show. Actors Sheheryar Munawar Siddiqui and Sanam Saeed hosted the show, trundling through a lacklustre script that didn’t even try very hard to be engaging.

With jokes that were hardly funny, generic commentaries and far too much reliance on English — a show that is supposed to be for the general public should at least aim for hybrid ‘minglish’ (the merging of English and Urdu) — the script, more than anything else, made the LSAs tedious.

The event began with students from Zindagi Trust singing the national anthem, a sweet touch. The classical performance that followed was beautiful, though perhaps not apt for a star-studded awards ceremony.

Awards ceremonies should be jump-started with a bit of chutzpah and flair, with songs that have the crowd clapping and singing along, building excitement. The classical performance, even when rendered with great effort, just didn’t seem to fit into the format.

…And the ugly

For some unfathomable reason, director Sarmad Khoosat and comedian Faiza Saleem had been taken on board for a comic segment. Their jokes barely drew any laughs, and one missed past LSAs when a Yasir Hussain or an Ahmed Ali Butt would make sure everyone had a rollicking good time. Comedy is always essential to an entertaining show — whatever had happened to the LSAs sense of humour this year?

Moreover, the one theme that dominated the event throughout was the noxious nature of social media. Sarmad Khoosat and Faiza Saleem caustically recounted encounters with online trolls — again, how was this supposed to be funny? — before starting off a segment on ‘roasting’.

Time after time, stars came on stage to present awards and took a few moments to stress the importance of using social media responsibly and the importance of being kind. This is very relevant, especially considering how social media controversies can sometimes spiral out of control, but it was all very repetitive.

The patriotic highs

Thankfully, there were others who steered away from social media-related rants.

Asim Azhar’s speech on taking Pakistani music forward was heartfelt. Actress Yumna Zaidi, upon accepting her trophy for Best Actress in the Film category, said she was glad the LSAs had organised a ceremony this time and, along with thanking her family and co-workers, also acknowledged her country.

Many others wrapped up their winning speeches with ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ — patriotic sentiments were running high and rightfully so, given the difficulties faced throughout this year.

The glamour quotient

The red carpet fashion was possibly the best that one had seen at an awards ceremony in years. There were the usual suspects who made a beeline for blingy shaadi-wear, deciding that it would be just the thing for a glamorous awards ceremony. Rivalling these desi ‘goans’ (gowns) though, was some fabulous fashion.

Designers and stylists had visibly worked together to curate looks for many of the celebrities, and they simply razzled and dazzled. Designs by Hussain Rehar and Fahad Hussayn were particularly visible and easily made the best-dressed list. Ironically, neither of these designers was nominated for Best Fashion Brand. They still stood out as two of the most exciting names in the country’s fashion scene by simply dominating the red carpet, the lack of nominations notwithstanding.

The importance of LSA

So, the show fluctuated — but the LSAs flexed clout very well by virtue of the audience that had come. After all, as mentioned earlier, Pakistan’s entertainment and fashion industry isn’t represented by any other awards ceremony. People want to come. They want to cheer each other on. They want to bring home that silver statuette and proudly post pictures with it on social media.

As Zaidi subtly pointed out, it was great that a ceremony was planned this year. This shows that the LSAs need to stop skipping years, regardless of political issues or budgetary constraints. Having already wrapped up 24 award ceremonies, it’s high time they became consistent.

Fahad Mustafa, in his winning speech for Best Actor in a Drama category, declared, “This is the award for which I had started working many years ago… I have won four or five times already, and it still feels just as good!”

This emotional admission highlights how an LSA win is still considered special. But to retain this exalted status, the show’s format needs to be drastically improved. The shoddy attempts at high school comedy, particularly, need to exit and never return!

The inclusion of digital content creators was a welcome addition to the nominations but, overall, a more transparent nomination process should be considered. If nothing else, transparency would be an apt response to the many social media detractors who rant and question why the nominees, and later, the winners, are who they are.

The next LSA will be its 25th edition — a milestone. It has come a long way, but it can do so much better!

Ultimately, the 24th Lux Style Awards had their fair share of ups and downs. The ‘ups’ — which made one clap and scrutinise high fashion gowns on the red carpet and zoom in on the extensive coverage on social media — give one hope for next year. Let’s hope it’s a hope well-founded.

Originally published in Dawn, ICON, December 21st, 2025

The visual spectacle thus created with full-on colourfully attired traditional dancers and ‘guggu ghorray’ (mock horseback dancers) resulted in a riot and blaze of colour and celebration, a patent of Hussayn’s runway shows. However, the spotlight remained on the models attired in fine needlework wedding bling shararas that spoke volumes about intricate craftsmanship and the designer’s hallmark designs. Sabeena Farooq was the choice for showstopper in this segment.

Over the past few years, bridals and their related shows had taken the predictable path to becoming somewhat boring, leading some to observe that such shows needed an urgent shot in the arm in the form of seasoned stylists editing and tweaking the presentation of the collections and taking on board veterans who know how to put on a great show in order to save it from a fate worse than death itself. Fortunately, those at the helm of affairs were listening and ready to jump into action, and as a result, this time around, we saw much more filtered collections under show choreographer Rizwan Beyg’s watchful eye on the ramp shows.

Also among the visually appealing collections on Day 1 were designer brand Almirah which showcased avant-garde menswear with celebrated actor Ahmed Ali Akbar as the showstopper, designer Sameer Sain with model-actor Muneeb Butt, Fais Couture and singer Wali Hamid Ali Khan, veteran designer duo Asifa & Nabeel with superstar Resham, as well as actors Ali Raza and Kinza Hashmi who walked for Nizka by Nida Rehan, and Abeer for Hira Hania.

BCW’s strength has always been its celebrity quotient, given the culturally rich landscape of Lahore, and this time it certainly did not disappoint. The fashion remained stable and steadfast due to some of the country’s most celebrated and sought-after couturiers, labels and brands in the line-up, among them being Fahad Hussayn, HSY, Ali Xeeshan and Adnan Pardesy.

For the grand finale of BCW Day 1, HSY chose to show his take on the style patterns and culturally-rich grandeur of the Mughals with his collection titled ‘Haveli’, a celebration of pomp and splendour in which the models in the opening segment displayed resplendently crafted outfits accessorised with golden tiaras and headdresses in what one assumed to be ‘transformative teal’. Showstopper and TikTok star Jannat Mirza closed the segment with the designer by her side.

The hair and makeup of the models on all days is by Nabila’s and N-Gents.

Ghost School is Seemab Gul’s film debut — she has many feathers in her cap as the director, scriptwriter as well as the producer of the feature. Gul started her career as a short-film and documentary filmmaker and later moved on to make a feature. The film, set in a fishing village on the outskirts of Karachi, started as a documentary but later it expanded to a feature film. 

The movie takes on the serious subject of girls’ education and ghost schools in rural areas of Pakistan and is told from the perspective of a young girl named Rabia, immaculately played by Nazualiya Arsalan. Rabia is baffled by the closure of her school because she’s told that the school is haunted and a djinn has taken up residence — an excuse given by the teacher to allow her leave the village. The girl is too young to understand supernatural phenomenon and asks many questions about it.

She embarks on resolving this problem on her own and tries to get answers about the myth being exploited by a corrupt system, led by the village elder. 

Nazualiya stands out in the film with her perfect acting skills. The director has also used non-actors, as do many Iranian filmmakers, and the djinn story adds an element of suspension of disbelief without creating any horror effect.

Ghost School is Gul’s first feature film but she started this journey with Haven of Hope, another feature that was postponed due to different producers “disappearing and not doing their jobs properly”. After this, Gul decided to become the producer, writer and director of both films herself.  

Ghost School is likely to hit Pakistani cinemas this summer. 

Seemab Gul — the director’s lens 

After facing multiple challenges, including slow pace of work Gul said was caused by the producers of Haven of Hope, Gul decided to retaliate and hit back with a new film project. 

“I decided to borrow the money from friends and family and shoot the film. I wrote it (Ghost School) in 10 weeks and shot it in two weeks. I started in August and finished it in May. I wanted to prove to people that I can make a film on my own.”

She said she shot Ghost School in Chashma Goth and another village on the outskirts of Karachi. 

The film had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival earlier this year. According to her, the film tested all the skills she had learnt at the London Film School. “I am still in debt, I borrowed from my post-production crew, I owe money to my editor.” 

Gul has been living in London but her family home is in Karachi. She studied at the London Film School where she did her master’s in filmmaking and gained exposure to independent cinema from around the world, especially Iranian films. 

“I found Iranian culture more similar to Pakistani culture compared to India, despite having similar language and food. Iranian art is embedded in tragedy where Indian art is embedded in singing, dance and celebration. I think our art, history and poetry are closer to indulging in tragedy and our dramas also indulge in tragedy. I found this amazing parallel and I dreamed of making Iranian-style films about the tragedy and struggle of life and women in Pakistan.”

The filmmaker is inspired by directors from Iran, such as Abbas Kiarostami, Jafar Panahi and Samira Makhmalbaf, and wants to create films that are sociopolitical but are for cinema screens. 

When asked why she returned to Pakistani subjects despite having international exposure and a life in the West, Gul called it a tragedy that second and third generations of Pakistani immigrants abroad don’t have an inkling about their own heritage, culture and family. All they know is about food and language. 

She said she has a strong foundation as she grew up in Karachi and went to school in Karachi and Islamabad, while her family comes from Jhelum and speaks Potohari. 

“In London, there is another problem. I am treated as just an immigrant, a foreigner, a token used for ticking a box. I did not want to be sidelined.”

While she faced multiple challenges in the past, Ghost School brought Gul recognition as a filmmaker. Haven of Hope has been financed by 11 different sources, including the Red Sea Film Foundation. It’s also a co-production of five countries. 

Gul has faith in her Pakistani crew, saying that all the crew members for Ghost School came from Pakistan, save for one Afghan who is living in London.

The story kicks in when Mr Waseem receives a call from an investigation officer at the Arts Council. That’s when the calm living-room vibe cracks open. It turns out Mr Waseem, played by Hussain, has built an entire fake identity to secure a financial support scheme meant for struggling artists. He pretends to have a limp. He claims his wife is deaf so she can qualify for the same monthly support. One lie became two, and then the lies kept piling up. His wife has no clue. And now the officer is coming over to check for scams, and get signatures on documents.

Once the officer arrives, the chaos begins. The lies have to look real, the characters have to act in ways they didn’t prepare for, and the house slowly becomes a stage for improvised trickery. What starts as a “small harmless lie” grows into a full circus, and Mr Waseem’s scramble to stay believable drives most of the humour.

The central idea of the play is simple: if artists were paid fairly, especially through royalties, maybe they wouldn’t be pushed towards desperate measures. The message is clear, but the delivery moves between comedy, drama, and social commentary. At times, the play tries to juggle too much. It wants to entertain, crack jokes, tell a moral story, and also drop serious takeaways. That mix works in some scenes but feels uneven in others.

A few creative choices could have been more contained. The background music, for instance, didn’t always help the scenes. It felt slightly loud in moments that didn’t need it. The final 20 minutes also stretched longer than necessary. The ending still worked, but a tighter close would’ve helped the overall flow.

Where the play really shines is the comedy. Hussain leans into the madness of the lie-spinning husband, and the script gives him plenty of room to play. Some jokes cross into crass territory, but a lot of the jabs are sharp and genuinely funny. The pop culture punches — Ahsan Khan, Humayun Saeed and Aamir Khan’s perfectionism, Aishwarya Rai’s daughter Aradhya, cricket legend Wasim Akram, and even the classic Memon pronunciation bit — land well with the audience.

One surprising standout is the “kooray wala (trash collector)” character. He enters as part of the chaos but ends up delivering a small moment about cleanliness and the state of Karachi. In fact, the city’s infrastructure and filth come up more than once, with the memorable line: “Shehr ka haal bohot bura hai. Ya mujhe Lahore bhejo ya Maryam ko yahan bulao (The state of the city is quite bad. Either send me to Lahore or call Maryam here).” It’s funny, but it stings because it’s true.

The dialogue carries the play and some lines echo in the audience’s mind long after the curtains close. “Cheating ko Waseem bhai se zyada koi nahi janta (No one knows cheating better than Waseem Bhai),” “Kitne Sherry maaro ge, har ghar se Sherry niklega (How many Sherrys will you kill? A Sherry will appear in every house),” and “Kabhi yahan gir rahe ho kabhi wahan. Kya Indian forces ne tayyar kiya hai (You’re always falling all over the place. Did the Indian forces prepare you)?” These are the punches that keep the audience hooked. Sherry, the upstairs friend who joins the lies with full energy, adds another layer of fun.

In the end, Monkey Business is a light-hearted watch. It makes you laugh, slips in a few reminders about ethics and survival, and gives you a glimpse of how artists hustle behind the scenes. It rambles a bit, and preaches a little, but also entertains. And sometimes, that’s enough for a night out.

This is Monkey Business’ second run — the first was in April this year. Monkey Business is running at the Arts Council of Pakistan in Karachi till December 18.

Photos: Jawwad Mushtaq via Yasir Hussain/Instagram

The festival will be held at its usual home, the Beach Luxury Hotel, and will play host to a number of prominent public speakers who’ll uphold the festival’s tradition of insightful discussions and cultural celebration.

While further details have yet to be announced, an event with a history as long as the KLF has a few staples that we hope to see again this year. Book launches, naturally, play a big role at the event. Panel discussions, especially on social issues, are also a hallmark of the event.

The festival also usually has stalls from book vendors, selling texts on everything from anime to zoology. The amount of choice is sometimes overwhelming and going over budget is not uncommon among readers at the KLF.

Last year’s festival, which centred around the theme “Narrative from the Soil”, also featured screenings of Pakistani films and a closing qawwali arranged in collaboration with the Arts Council of Pakistan.

A special area is usually designated for children at the KLF, the Youth Pavilion. The pavilion hosts a number of literary activities like story-telling sessions, puppet shows and theatre plays to encourage a love for literature in kids — something that is getting harder to find nowadays.

As we await more details, we’re sure of one thing: there will be something to do and something to learn for everyone who attends the festival next year.

He then asks the audience to put their phones on silent, including alarms, and refrain from recording. The play runs for less than an hour, he adds. “Pachpan minute mein yeh azaab tal jayega [in 55 minutes, this torment will be over].”

What follows is a disorienting journey anchored primarily in conversations between two unnamed characters, whose dialogue explores the intricacies and contradictions of human nature and the fragile, shifting idea of ‘home’.

I went into the play not quite knowing what to expect (the description was as confusing as the production itself), but left wholly impressed, struck by how much depth and humour could emerge from such a deceptively simple setup. For someone who counts The Sunset Limited among their favourite movies, the play hit all the right notes; a reminder that the right words, delivered with precision, can resonate just as much as any visual spectacle.

Directed by Sonil Shanker, written by Khan, and translated into Urdu by Kulsoom Aftab, Dreams of Ithaca is described by its creators as an “absurdist odyssey through dreams, nightmares, and strange trams and signals”. The play premiered on Wednesday night at the World Culture Festival 2025, held at the Arts Council in Karachi.

The first scene opens with the two characters (the man, played by Shanker, and the woman, played by Aftab) bickering over nothing in particular. Shanker’s character pleads for her to listen, but she curtly tells him not to disturb her, insisting she’s “busy doing nothing”. Their trivial back-and-forth creates a push-and-pull rhythm that is both absurd and captivating.

Initially puzzled by the aimless argument, the audience is soon drawn in by sharp dialogue, sly humour, and the occasional profanity that makes every exchange unpredictable. Shanker’s character desperately tries to share his dreams and his sense of never feeling “at home”, while she brushes him off with vague deadlines she barely remembers, insisting that nobody feels at home anyway.

The next scene (referred to as the “signal scene” by Khan) shifts the atmosphere, reminding the audience why the creators issued a warning at the start.

Here, the two characters are strangers. Shanker’s character is trapped at a pedestrian signal, pacing anxiously as he runs late for his flight, only for the light to remain red. Each time he tries to cross the road, he’s blocked or hit by passing vehicles, leaving him baffled as he struggles to make sense of the absurdity around him.

Meanwhile, Aftab’s character remains mostly silent, smirking and offering the occasional word at long intervals, which only fuels Shanker’s growing frustration. As his anger mounts, Shanker’s character becomes violent, and what began as a mundane wait erupts into sudden, unsettling chaos. It is a darkly comic, absurdist moment that keeps the audience unsure whether to gasp, laugh at the profanity, or feel a creeping sense of unease.

By the end of the 55 minutes (which felt much longer, thanks to the play’s immersive experience), you’re left with more questions than answers. While not everything is resolved, one thing is certain — Dreams of Ithaca is not for the faint of heart.

Dubbing it as one of Khan’s most controversial plays, Aftab spoke to me about the compromises involved in performing such work; deciding when to tone down, when to tone up, and negotiating the many challenges that arise during the performance.

“People often laugh at scenes where women are attacked,” she said. “You must have noticed today as well. But this audience learned, by the time the play progressed, that they couldn’t just laugh at women’s victimisation.”

She described the performer’s experience as a constant tension: terrified before going on stage, thinking only about whether the audience would connect, or feel ashamed, uncomfortable, or responsible. “Usually, out of 500 people, maybe five really engage in that way,” she said.

Khan shared that the inspiration for Dreams of Ithaca came from his own experiences after moving to Ireland. He found himself constantly grappling with questions of home: what it means to belong, where home truly lies, and the sense of leaving or losing it.

“Overall, there’s a consistent running theme in the play of being home or leaving home or defining home,” he said. He added that gender is also a key theme, woven throughout the story and closely linked to the idea of home.

Khan has been working on the play for quite some time and described it as an ongoing project. Even the performance staged in Karachi was not based on the final script. Originally written in English for a Western audience, the play included references to Ithaca (the homeland of Odysseus from Homer’s Odyssey).

The Urdu translation was completed recently by Aftab, who also helped adapt parts of the script for a Pakistani setting. For instance, the signal scene, originally set in the West, was rewritten to take place at a local pedestrian signal, making the absurdist scenario more relatable to a local audience, Khan explained.

He also noted that the characters were deliberately left unnamed. Regarding audience reception, he said he intended the play to be absurdist, dark yet comic, and that, to some extent, this was achieved. “People were laughing, people were disgusted at some moments.”

Photos: Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi/Instagram

The nominations are divided into viewers’ and critics’ choice awards. A total of 28 different awards have been announced across television, film, music, fashion and digital content creation.

So, without further ado, the nominees are:

Drama

Actor of the Year - Female (Viewers’ choice)

• Durefishan Saleem - Ishq Murshid
• Durefishan Saleem - Khaie
• Hania Aamir - Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum
• Sajal Aly- Zard Patton Ka Bunn

Actor of the Year - Male (Viewers’ choice)

• Bilal Abbas - Ishq Murshid
• Danish Taimoor - Jaan Nisar
• Fahad Mustafa - Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum
• Imran Ashraf - Namak Haram

Best Original Soundtrack (Viewers’ choice)

• Iqtidar
• Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum - ‘Chal Diye Tum Kahan’
• Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum - ‘Sajna Da Dil Torya’
• Zard Patton Ka Bunn

Best TV Long Serial (Viewers’ choice)

• Adawat - ARY Digital
• Baby Baji Ki Bahuain - ARY Digital
• Hasrat - ARY Digital
• Tark e Wafa - ARY Digital

Play of the Year (Viewer’s’ choice)

• Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum - ARY Digital
• Kaffara - Geo Entertainment
• Khaie - Geo Entertainment
• Ishq Murshid - HUM TV

Best Ensemble Play (Critics’ choice)

• Dunya Pur - Green Entertainment
• Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum - ARY Digital
• Noor Jahan - ARY Digital
• Zard Patton Ka Bunn - HUM TV

Emerging Talent of the Year (Critics’ choice)

• Khushhal Khan - Dunyapur
• Naeema Butt - Inspector Sabiha
• Sahar Hashmi - Zulm
• Shaheera Jalil Albasit - Burns Road kay Romeo Juliet

TV Director of the Year (Critics’ choice)

• Badar Mehmood - Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum
• Musaddiq Malek - Noor Jahan
• Saife Hasan - Zard Patton Ka Bunn
• Syed Wajahat Hussain - Khaie

TV Play of the Year (Critics’ choice)

• Ishq Murshid - HUM TV
• Jafaa - HUM TV
• Khaie - Geo Entertainment
• Zard Patton Ka Bunn - HUM TV

TV Play Writer of the Year (Critics’ choice)

• Farhat Ishtiaq - Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum
• Mustafa Afridi - Zard Patton Ka Bunn
• Saqlain Abbas - Khaie
• Zanjabeel Asim Shah - Noor Jahan

Film

Film Actor of the Year - Male (Viewers’ choice)

• Imran Ashraf - Kattar Karachi
• Samar Jafri - Na Baligh Afraad
• Talha Anjum - Kattar Karachi
• Usama Khan - Nayab

Film Actor of the Year - Female (Viewers’ choice)

• Ayesha Omar - Taxali Gate
• Kinza Hashmi - Kattar Karachi
• Kubra Khan - Abhi
• Yumna Zaidi - Nayab

Film of the Year (Viewers’ choice)

• Glassworker
• Kattar Karachi
• Na Baligh Afraad
• Nayab

Film Director of the Year (Critics’ choice)

• Abdul Wali Baloch - Kattar Karachi
• M Shahzad Malik - Leech
• Umair Nasir Ali - Nayab
• Wajahat Rauf - Daghabaaz Dil

Music

Artist of the Year (Viewers’ choice)

• Hamza Malik ft Laiba Khurram - ‘LOCO’
• Hasan Raheem - ‘Radha’
• Sarim Saeed - ‘Haal’
• Talha Anjum - ‘Departure Lane’

Emerging Artist of the Year (Viewers’ choice)

• Junaid Kamran Siddique - ‘Sada Ashna’
• Nayyab - ‘Dil Wali Gall’
• Nayyab - ‘Maa’
• Yamna Irfan and Haadi Uppal - ‘Jaaniye’

Song of the Year (Viewers’ choice)

• Aashir Wajahat, NAYEL, Nehaal Naseem - ‘Sadqay’
• Coke Studio - ‘Jhol’
• Hamza Malik ft. Laiba Khurram - ‘LOCO’
• Junaid Kamran Siddique - ‘Sada Ashna’

Music Producer of the Year (Critics’ choice)

• Abbas Ali Khan - ‘Mera Sara Tu’
• Ahad John - ‘Tenu Pyar’
• Shabi - ‘Aisa Ho Na Jaye’
• Shabi - ‘Bechara’

Digital Content

Digital Beauty Influencer of the Year (Viewers’ choice)

• Duaa Fatima
• Hemayal
• Hira Faisal
• Sabeena Syed

Digital Content Creator of the Year (Viewers’ choice)

• Junaid Akram
• Kanwal Aftab
• Ron And Coco
• Zulqarnain Sikandar

Digital Trendsetter of the Year (Viewers’ choice)

• Aidah Sheikh
• Dr Zee Khan
• Hemayal
• Zainab Raza

Fashion

Fashion Brand of the Year (Viewers’ choice)

• Ansab Jahangir
• HSY
• Humayun Alamgir
• Kanwal Malik

Emerging Talent of the year Fashion (Critics’ choice)

• Muhammad Ali
• Yasoob Rehman
• Zunaish Shaikh

Fashion Model of the Year - Female (Critics’ choice)

• Erica Robin
• Jaweria Ali
• Maleena Mansoor
• Sona Rafiq

Fashion Model of the Year - Male (Critics’ choice)

• Abid BanGash
• Adnan Behrani
• Suleman Hussain
• Yasser Dar

Fashion Photographer of the Year (Critics’ choice)

• Asad Muhammad Suleman
• Ayaz Anis Khan
• HM Studio
• MHM Studio

Fashion Stylist of the Year (Critics’ choice)

• Arinda Tul Noor
• Hafsa Farooq
• Rao Ali Khan
• Yasser Dar

The Unilever Chairman’s Lifetime Achievement Award will also be presented in recognition of “extraordinary contributions” to the fields of entertainment and fashion.

The event will be hosted at its usual venue, the Arts Council, and will see a variety of writers, poets, scholars and artists grace the stage in discussions, book launches, performances, and cultural dialogues. This year’s theme is the celebration of Karachi’s “enduring role as a centre of literary innovation and artistic excellence”.

Past conferences have been star-studded affairs, with the 17th edition hosting heavyweights such as Anwar Maqsood, Mustansar Hussain Tarar and the late Dr Arfa Sayeda Zehra. The entertainment industry was also well represented, with Humayun Saeed, Mahira Khan and Tabish Hashmi speaking about their experiences in the city in the Mein Hun Karachi sessions.

If this year’s conference follows in the format of the last, there will also be ample representation for Pakistan’s regional languages. The 2024 event had discussions on literature in Balochi, Pashto, Punjabi, Saraiki and Sindhi. Last year’s festival also featured a soulful qawwali with Fareed Ayaz and Abu Muhammad.

While details of this year’s programme haven’t been announced yet, the festival has been a must-go for anyone with a love for language since it was first organised in 2007. We fully expect this year’s conference to stay true to its 17-year legacy.

Entry to the event is free of charge and open to all.

The programme for the event lists a number of activities spread throughout the day for those interested in the arts. The library will host workshops on traditional techniques, including a stall for truck art and chamakpatti run by artist Nusrat Iqbal.

Other activities include zine-making with Shabbir Mohammed and Luluwa Lokhandwala, block printing with Eina Alvi, cross stitching, basket weaving, and a workshop by artist and educator Iman Ahmed.

The main hall, notably used for the trial of Maulana Muhammad Ali Johar in 1921, will host a series of talks and theatre performances, starting with the play Unfit Ball Hai Dunya Meray Aagay at 2pm.

That will be followed by a panel discussion Fishing the Narrative with chef Asad Monga with Akif Raj and Fatima Bibi. Another panel, titled Reading the City, will have Afzal Zaidi, Meher Jafri, Nusrat Khawaja and Saima Zaidi.

The night will end with a session of dastangoi (dramatic storytelling), followed by a soulful qawwali by Ghayoor Moiz Qawwal and his troupe.

If your concern after reading all that is how you’re going to get through it all on an empty stomach, we have good news. Iconic street food from all over Karachi will be served in the garden. Options will include everything from bun kebabs, to chaat, to chai and kachoris.

The festival is sure to be fun for everyone who attends, with something to do for people of all ages and interests. It is organised by Numaish Karachi, the organisation that restored the festival’s 119-year-old venue under its Reading Room initiative.

The Reading Room is a collaboration between Numaish Karachi and the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation. The project is funded by the British Council’s Cultural Protection Fund in partnership with the UK government’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

As guests arrived to take part in the inaugural ceremony, they saw eminent sculptor Amin Gulgee and his team engaged in performance art in the open-air area outside the main auditorium. Their piece was called The Game. Then the invitees stepped into the main hall for formal proceedings.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, who was the chief guest on the occasion, said the Arts Council has become the cultural heart not only of the city but of the entire nation.

“What began with the participation of 44 countries [last year] has now remarkably evolved into a festival representing 142 nations and more than 1,000 artists. Karachi, unpredictable, vibrant, alive… has always embodied the soul of Pakistan. Today it welcomes the world. This festival celebrates art not only for its beauty, but for its power, the power to heal, connect and resist. In an age of ongoing conflicts and deepening polarisation, we gather here as dancers, poets, painters, musicians and filmmakers from every corner of the world, speaking one shared language: humanity,” he said.

The chief minister said in the province of Sindh, culture is not merely a policy; it is a legacy. The poetry of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai echoes in shrines and streets. “The rhythms of Sufi dhol and kafi continue to beat in the hearts of our people. We do not simply support culture, we live it.”

He thanked all guests who had travelled from their countries to participate in the event. “Karachi remains the city where the world feels at home.”

Earlier in his welcome address, Arts Council President Ahmed Shah profusely thanked all those who had helped him organise the event. Pointing out the importance of the artist community, he said artists raise their voice against genocide.

“In the last two years, the biggest genocide of the 21st century took place in Gaza. All over the world, even in those countries that support Israel, their people raised their voices against genocide. It was the artists whose voice was the loudest. I was worried, how can I arrange the largest festival when there’s a genocide happening in Gaza? Thank God, with the support of the international community, there’s a temporary ceasefire. We can celebrate that ceasefire,” he said.

“The other thing is global connectivity and diplomacy through culture. Culture unites people. There’s a travel advisory from the US, but American artists are sitting here in the auditorium,” he added.

The speeches were followed by some brilliant performances. Shah Ja Faqir warmed everyone’s hearts by presenting Sur Marvi in their soul-stirring style.

Madan Gopal from Nepal sang a lovely song about his country in which he included the word Karachi.

Lucy Tasker from Belgium displayed her skills as an instrumentalist. She masterfully played the bass clarinet. It was an improvisational piece.

Ammar Ashkar from Syria appeared on stage with the dholak player Irfan Ali. He mixed his Arabic folk tune with a touch of Sindhi folk. It was a delightful combination.

Arguably, the highlight of the show was Akbar Khamisu Khan’s performance on the alghoza. He played a composition that made the audience, which had packed the hall in the blink of an eye, clap to his track joyously.

France’s Zakaria Haffar added a different colour to the stage with his delicate playing of the santoor. He, too, was very good.

The shift from purely musical to purely rhythmic changed when Congo’s street dancers entertained the guests with their youthful and energetic act. The younger lot in the audience especially liked their dance.

Another dance act followed, featuring the American group Ballet Beyond Borders. They presented two solo pieces: a fancy war dance and a contradiction. Both were expertly done.

Bangladesh’s Shireen Jawad also did a commendable job with her singing.

The festival will continue till December 7.

Cover photo: Arts Council of Pakistan / Instagram

Originally published in Dawn, November 1st, 2025

The event has returned to Pakistan for its fourth edition, allowing fans in Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore to celebrate European cinema, creativity and cultural exchange.

Hosted by a delegation of the European Union, the festival highlights the power of cinema to connect communities and inspire reflection on shared human experiences.

It opened in Islamabad on Nov 7 and 8 at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) and was later held in Karachi. The final act will unfold in Lahore on Nov 22 and 23, where the festival will culminate with screenings, interactive installations and live performances.

The events of the festival will span across Hall 3, the Adabi Baithak, and the open-air courtyard of Alhamra.

The closing weekend promises a rich cultural experience, from a dramatic reading on the day one to the signature social dance on the day two, echoing Lahore’s deep-rooted love for art and storytelling.

The festival will feature immersive experiences, such as the “Wall of Fame” presenting a century of European cinema told through 24 remarkable voices, interactive installations, such as the Auteur Ego, Human Slot Game and 360° camera, inviting playful engagement, while dedicated spaces like the Reading Nook and Kids’ Corner offer moments to pause, imagine and explore.

Photo booths and curated food kiosks will add to the lively atmosphere of the festival, where audiences don’t just watch films, they step into their world.

Free and open to the public, EUFF 2025 welcomes families, students, local artists, diplomats, and film enthusiasts to experience cinema as a tool of connection and conversation.

Originally published in Dawn, November 22nd, 2025

The announcement came on the awards’ official Instagram page. “Due to routine visa processing delays for several nominees, performers, and key participants, the organising committee has made a proactive decision to shift the event by a few days to ensure full attendance and proper representation.”

The announcement quoted Faisal Khan, founder of the PISAs, saying, “There can be no show without award nominees.”

The new date is expected to be announced soon.

This year’s jury comprises Something Haute Managing Editor Hassan Choudary, YouTube star Taimoor Salahuddin — popularly known as Mooroo — and culture critics Kamran Jawaid, Maliha Rehman and Sabah Bano Malik. Something Haute’s Aamna Isani is set to be the jury manager for the event.

The nominees for 22 of the 24 categories were announced in mid-October and include industry heavy-weights such as Mawra Hocane and Fahad Mustafa, among others.

From the packed two-day programme, here are six things we thing you should check out:

Karachi Biennale: Connecting art, the city and its people

Day 1 (Nov 22) at 3pm

Karachi’s preeminent art curators will sit down for a documentary and a discussion on the city’s art scene and one of the most prominent art shows it has to offer. Noor Ahmed, the curator of the Karachi Biennale 2027, will be joined by Amin Gulgee, the curator of the Gulgee Museum, and Bushra Hussain, the Karachi Biennale Trust’s artistic director.

Heer: The woman of today. Celebrating Waris Shah’s masterpiece

Day 1 (Nov 22) at 5pm

Heer, the female protagonist of Waris Shah’s Heer Ranjha, has been a feminist icon since the tale carrying her name was first compiled in the 1700s. Punjabi scholar and poet Sarwat Mohiuddin will join singer Usama Israr Ahmed in dissecting Heer’s legend and discussing the character’s relevance in a modern context.

Book talk: Perennial College Tales by Nadya Chishty-Mujahid

Day 2 (Nov 23) at 1pm

After her first literary exploration of the Pakistani university experience, author Nadya Chishty-Mujahid returned to the fictional Saeed School of Business with Perennial College Tales. Chishty-Mujahid will join author Taha Kehar to discuss her work and the many ups and down that define student life.

Hum Gunahgar Aurtain (We sinful women): In conversation with Kishwar Naheed

Day 2 (Nov 23) at 4pm

Feminist literary icon Kishwar Naheed in discussion with educationist Huma Baqai, journalist Wusatullah Khan and Professor Uzma Farman Farooqui of the Urdu department at the University of Karachi. The panel will be moderated by writer Noorul Huda Shah and presided over by poet Zehra Nigah; singer and kathak artist Shayma Saiyid will recite Naheed’s poetry.

Mushairas

Day 1 (Nov 22) at 7:30pm and 8:30pm

The Adab Fest will have two mushairas this year — a multilingual mushaira with poets representing the many regional languages spoken in Pakistan and a second Urdu mushaira. Poets at the first event will recite verses in Siraiki, Balochi, Sindhi, Punjabi, Pashto, Burushaski and Balti.

The second event has poets Anwar Shaoor, Peerzada Qasim, Afzal Ahmed Syed and Waheed Noor in its extensive lineup. Nigah will be leading the mushaira as sadar and Nasira Zuberi will be responsible for its nizamat.

Concerts

Day 2 (Nov 23) at 4pm and 8:50pm

Two concerts are also listed on the schedule for the second day, with singer Zara Madani and folk musician Saif Samejo performing. Madani will perform at the venue’s tree garden in an earlier slot while Samejo will deliver the concluding performance of the festival.

Participants in the session included artists from Argentina, Hong Kong, Iran, Kenya, Malaysia, Croatia, France, Thailand, and Pakistan. Renowned Pakistani musician Ahsan Bari moderated the discussion, said a press release issued on Wednesday.

During the session, Argentine musician Diana Baroni remarked that with technological advancement, learning has shifted online, and humans are becoming increasingly dependent on machines. “We are slowly dying. We must unite to outsmart AI and bring discipline to change the world.”

Kenyan guitarist Komora said that AI is destroying human creativity. “What takes us eight months to create, AI produces in eight seconds. Art does not need AI, and whoever relies on AI is not an artist.”

Kenyan singer Liboi added that AI is affecting artists just as it affects ordinary people.

Croatian choreographer Dr Tina said that AI is taking away jobs and artistic identity: “I am a choreographer, and I do not take help from AI because it destroys creativity.”

Malaysian theatre coach Bella Rahim advised artists to trust their hard work instead of AI. “If AI tells you what you already know, leave it. We must stand united as a community.”

Kenyan visual artist Okamar Onesmus said human life is becoming mechanical. “We are drifting away from books. AI should be used for information, but its comparison is necessary.”

From the Kuwaiti group, Palestinian dancer Rawan Sameer Salamah said she had seen many artworks that lacked real emotion and story. Ahsan Bari expressed joy that artists from around the world were gathered under one roof, calling it a positive sign for the future of humanity.

The open mic session of international artists was followed by the screening of French Shorts, a dance and music workshop, the Sindhi theatre play Hojamalo, and the Urdu theatre play Kuttay.

The dance workshop was conducted by Kuwait’s LAPA Dance Company, attended by Arts Council President Mohammad Ahmed Shah, Dance Academy Director Mani Chao, Jahanzeb Shah, singer Arman Rahim, Palestinian artist Rawan Sameer Salamah and Croatian choreographer Dr Tina, who trained students in professional dance techniques.

During the session, Rawan Sameer Salamah raised the slogan “Free Palestine” and performed the traditional Dabkeh dance.

Participants showed deep interest in Palestinian culture and its dance of resistance.

Meanwhile, Hojamalo, written by Ayoob Gaad Lateef and directed by Ali Gul Mallah, featured Amjad Gul Soomro, Wahid Raza, Faheem Mughal (Pakhi), Laiba Baloch, and Ali Gul Mallah.

The story revolves around a middle-class man who avoids hard work but longs to be famous like “Jamali”. Pressured by his father’s taunts, he starts a YouTube channel and features his wife in songs, causing his father-in-law to take her away. When he attempts suicide, people rescue him, leading to reconciliation as the community celebrates by singing Ho Jamalo.

The day concluded with the Urdu theatre play Kuttay, directed by Muhammad Ali, featuring Rasheed Ahmed, Zubair Baloch, Mati Mukhtlif, Faisal Khaliq, Ali Raza, Bharat Kumar, and Abdullah Dar. The play is a socio-political satire portraying the instincts of power, greed, and survival within humans. It highlights how oppressive systems crush humanity, forcing people to compromise their dignity and values merely to survive, exposing the ongoing struggle between human beings and the systems that govern them.

Originally published in Dawn, November 15th, 2025

This year’s ceremony will “Mirror the Magic” of the LSAs’ two-decade legacy, according to a press release issued on Friday, promising fresh collaborations, a renewed vision and an event that celebrates “Pakistan’s creative spirit” for the world to see.

While the LSAs are often described as an unbroken annual tradition, the past few years have been anything but straightforward.

In 2020, as the Covid-19 pandemic brought global events to a halt, the LSAs opted out entirely. Instead of a show, Unilever redirected the ceremony’s budget to the Akhuwat Foundation to support fashion industry workers affected by Covid-19 closures.

The brand later acknowledged the winners of what would have been the 19th edition, but without the glamour, fanfare or red carpet that usually define the LSAs.

Then, in 2025, the awards were disrupted again. Following heightened India–Pakistan tensions in May, winners of the 23rd Lux Style Awards were quietly announced digitally, without any formal gathering.

Perhaps in recognition of how Pakistan’s creative economy has evolved during these unpredictable years, this year, the LSAs are introducing a new award category dedicated to digital content creators — a space that has grown exponentially even as traditional entertainment formats faced delays and shutdowns.

“As an audience-driven platform, the 24th Lux Style Awards introduces a new category dedicated to content creators, acknowledging their growing impact on the creative economy and their role in shaping the future of storytelling,” said Samir Sultan, general manager – Personal Care, Unilever Pakistan.

The show also promises “infused collaborations between real and reel achievers,” a phrase that will likely translate into influencer crossovers, pop culture mash-ups and unexpected pairings on stage.

Beyond the marketing catchphrases, the real story is that the LSAs are attempting a reset. An in-person ceremony after multiple disrupted editions signals a push to re-establish the awards as a relevant one.

With Karachi set as the host city, nominations likely to be announced in the coming weeks and a broader reach promised by the organisers, expectations are high, and so is the pressure.