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    'Fresh off the Plane': Karachi comes alive with the sound of laughter

    Written by: Shahzeb Naeem
    Posted on: June 17, 2015 |

    Shehzad Ghias Sheikh performed to packed crowds on both nights

    Imagine a small enclosed space with dim lighting and no furniture. Add Karachi’s heat into the mix, along with a cluster of sweaty people barely finding any place to sit in this enclosed room. Yet, despite these harsh conditions, this room was brimming with the sound of laughter and the thunderous roars of applause, as Shehzad Ghias Sheikh put up an uproarious performance at MAD (Music, Arts and Dance) school, Karachi, on Saturday and Sunday night. The audience soon fell in love with Shehzad, whose jokes ranged from celebrity impersonations, to the traffic situation in Karachi, to public figures including Uncle Sargam, Aamir Liaquat, and even Junaid Jamshed.

    It was not surprising to see Shehzad performing in front of a sold out audience, as Karachi faces a severe scarcity of public spaces that promote stand-up comedy acts such as this one. Initially, Shehzad’s act was only scheduled for Saturday night, but due to the overwhelmingly positive response from the audience, a second show was held on Sunday night as well.

    Fresh off the Plane by Shehzad Ghias Sheikh at MAD School, Karachi

    Before the main show, an opening act was performed by Hassan Bin Shaheen, who is an aspiring comedian and an established lawyer. Hassan’s act warmed up the crowd before the main act, as he launched into hilarious comparisons between two of Karachi’s most famous areas, Gulistan-e-Jauhar and Defence, sending the audience into fits of laughter. Hassan’s performance set the mood for the event perfectly; by the time Shehzad came onto the stage, the audience was already pumped up in anticipation of an exciting night.

    While watching Shehzad’s interactive performance, it becomes manifest that he is an expert in the art of improvisation and extempore. He would produce humorous one-liners based on responses from the audience, and would smartly change the topic if the expected response was not generated. It was also pleasing to witness Shehzad’s patriotic zeal, as he had the whole crowd singing Dil Dil Pakistan with him at one point during the show.

    Fresh off the Plane by Shehzad Ghias Sheikh at MAD School, Karachi

    Image courtesy Fahad Ahmed

    However, the event was not without its limitations. Given the high demand for improvisational comedy acts such as this one, it would have been reasonable for the management to reserve a larger space for the event, since the expected crowd capacity far exceeded the space allocated to them. However, the management deserves credit for its efforts to accommodate as many people as was possible for the event.

    Overall, Fresh off the Plane was a great success, providing a breath of fresh air to the laughter-starved audience of Karachi. Shehzad is expected to perform again on a much larger scale after the month of Ramadhan, and that show is expected to be sold out as well. His performances seem to strike a chord with all members of the audience, and they serve to show that despite the troubling times we might face, a smile or a laugh can really brighten up one’s day.


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021