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    Qissah Farosh and T2F Collaborate to Keep Legends Alive

    Written by: Farheen Abdullah
    Posted on: September 09, 2015 |

    Adnan Jaffar and Tariq Raja of Qissah Farosh

    Involved in the promotion of drama and poetry for quite a few years now, Qissah Farosh is a theatre group formed by two graduates of the National Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA), Adnan Jaffar and Zohair Raza, and a member of the Desi Writers’ Lounge, Farheen Zehra.

    Having presented a variety of performances in the past, including works by Patras Bokhari and Mirza Baig, the group set out to put Shafiq-ur-Rehman’s words into action at The 2nd Floor (T2F) on 5th and 6th September. The proceeds from the fundraiser were to be donated to the Sabeen Mahmud Foundation, an organization started after the demise of the Pakistani rights activist and social worker, in order to keep her flagships such as T2F thriving.

    Qissah Farosh and T2F Collaborate to Keep Legends Alive

    The first weekend of September, 2015, allowed the stage of T2F, a platform for aspiring writers, poets, artists and musicians, to be set for a comedic night based on adaptations of two of Shafiq-ur-Rehman’s essays. Producing legendary pieces such as Dareechay and Pachtaway, Shafiq-ur-Rehman (1920 – 2000) was a Pakistani humorist and Urdu short-story writer. Professionally a doctor in the Pakistan Army, the author based his writings on human emotions and values like empathy, pain, compassion and respect, and depicted the realities of life through his words.

    Before the first act, Farheen Zehra welcomed the audience to what was the third performance of the group at T2F, the first one having been performed in 2013 as a fundraiser for the Desi Writers’ Lounge. This was followed by a thirty-minute monologue by another active member of the group, Tariq Raja, who acted out the first essay of the evening, Review.

    Qissah Farosh and T2F Collaborate to Keep Legends Alive

    Dressed in black attire with sunglasses on, Tariq Raja began his performance under bright spotlights and focused gazes of a diverse group of spectators. Describing the techniques used by “tanqeed adeeb” (critics) when reviewing a book, and the skills required to be a critic, the performer left kids as well as adults laughing joyously. Blaming critics for producing reviews without actually going through the trouble of reading the book – “kitaab soongh kar review karna” (writing a review just by looking at the book), this essay taunted the “review baaz” for their naivety and ignorance. The piece, which was actually a narration by a student of his encounter with a critic who would later become his teacher, moved on to give examples of bad reviews and bad poetry. Recitation of the poem ‘Larr rahi hain Billiyan’ (the cats are fighting) and delivery of the jokes about a camel, “Jungle main oonth naacha kis ne dekha?” (Who saw the Camel dance in the jungle?), left the audience in peals of laughter.

    The person engaging the crowd for the second half of the evening was Adnan Jaffar, a renowned Pakistani actor, who indulged in acting, singing, and even a little bit of dancing while he presented the second essay, Hamari Filmain (Our movies). A slightly more humorous piece than the first one, Hamari Filmain shed light on the growing trend of watching movies for entertainment and the abundance of movies that revolve around “true love”. Through this act, Jaffar highlighted other concerns existing in our society, such as ‘shaadi kab hogi?’ (When will you get married?), and the ceaseless heroics of the lead actor in any movie, including his ability to flawlessly fight a group of gangsters, as well as sing perfectly: “iss mulk main wohi shakhs mohabbat kar sakta hai jiso bohat acha gaana ata ho” (Only the best singers can become heroes in this country). The act received a huge round of applause from the audience.

    Qissah Farosh and T2F Collaborate to Keep Legends Alive

    Be it Tariq Raja’s imitation of a Pakistani couple or Adnan Jaffar’s dance moves, Qissah Farosh managed to indulge its fans in an evening full of humour and wide smiles. What was especially remarkable about the performances was the thorough preparation of the actors, which allowed them to present their monologues in continuity without ever pausing or breaking the flow of the acts. This hour-long event lifted the moods of the spectators and left a mark that would stay with them for much longer.


    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