Amidst the growing tension between India and Pakistan after the brutal
killing of two Indian jawans along the LoC in Kashmir, a troupe of
artistes from Karachi are on a peace mission in India to strengthen
people-to-people relations.
‘The tension is political in nature and the people have nothing to do
with it. People from both sides of the border want peace. We want
regular cultural exchanges with India and a hassle-free visa process
so that we can meet each other,’ Pakistani theatre director Zain Ahmed
told PTI on Sunday, reports zeenews.com.
He rued that whenever political tension builds up between the two
countries, cultural relations are made the first hostage.
‘Many barriers like delaying visa process are created so that the
people of the two countries cannot meet each other,’ he said.
Ahmed is leading a seven-member team of the National Academy of
Performing Arts (NAPA) of Karachi which presented ‘Manto aur Ghalib:
Ek Guftagu’ at the Apeejay Kolkata Literary Festival which ended
during the day.
The play, which is replete with soulful songs and lively music, is a
fictional conversation between Manto and Ghalib.
A team of 25 artistes of NAPA Repertory Theatre is scheduled to
present a theatre ‘Manto Rama’ at the National School of Drama in New
Delhi on Thursday after the other artistes from that country join.
Pak musician Ahsan Bari said, ‘I have many friends here in India and
whatever happens politically, our relations never get affected as a
result’.
He suggested that the youth of the two countries should take the
initiative of having more cultural exchanges.
(Source: banglanews24.com)
