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Bilal Maqsood is gearing up to release the third season of Pakkay Dost, his hit puppet show for children, on September 1 — and he’s calling on parents, aunts, uncles, and older siblings to make sure the kids in their lives tune in.

Taking to Instagram with a video message, the former Strings frontman shared a heartfelt plea to support the show, which he described as his “life’s purpose” after the band’s disbandment. But more importantly, he framed Pakkay Dost as his way of “making Urdu cool again” — a cultural mission aimed at re-instilling pride and comfort in speaking the language among children.

“Pakkay Dost is my way of making Urdu cool again, so our children don’t worry about being judged while speaking our language,” said Maqsood. “Our kids, their parents — everyone is running away from Urdu.”

He expressed concern over the dominance of foreign media in children’s lives over the past several decades, noting that much of the content available is detached from Pakistani values. “The details of [foreign content] are not in our control. What values this content is instilling in our children is out of control,” he said.

Since the end of Strings, Maqsood has turned his focus toward crafting original, high-quality content for children in Urdu — a demographic he feels has long been neglected in local entertainment. “Now, this is me,” he said of Pakkay Dost. “It is my life’s purpose now to make quality content for kids.”

Each season of Pakkay Dost features songs, musical segments, and puppet characters aimed at educating and entertaining children while preserving linguistic and cultural roots. “Every show has 13 to 14 songs. The 33 years of musical experience I’ve had with Strings, I am including that in Pakkay Dost too,” he added.

Acknowledging that screen time is unavoidable, he urged parents and guardians to direct children toward content that aligns with local values: “We can’t put a stop to their screen time, we can’t switch off their phones and tablets, but we can make sure they’re watching good content — content that resonates with our values and traditions.”

Wrapping up his message, Maqsood appealed to the loyal fanbase that supported him through his musical career, “I would be grateful if you continued to support me through my remaining journey, by making sure the kids around you follow and watch Pakkay Dost.”