The fourth day of the Awaami Theatre Festival 2026 presented audiences with powerful narratives on social justice and moral duty, featuring one play culminating in a police officer killing his own son and another championing the rights of courtesans.
According to Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi, the evening, organised by the Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi, began at 6:00 pm with the performance of ‘Bohat Ho Gayi Begum,’ a comedy carrying a reformative theme. Written by Syed Ali Darain and directed by Ahsan Amrohi, the play’s cast included Najma, Shabbir Bhatti, and Tasneem Raana, among others, according ton.
The plot centres on a courtesan who flees a brothel to escape being sold. She finds sanctuary in the home of Seth Amjad, a man portrayed as fearful of his wife. The narrative explores societal prejudice when the Seth”s son falls in love with the young woman, a union his mother vehemently opposes.
In a climactic turn, Seth Amjad finds his courage, confronts his wife, and sanctions the marriage between his son, Naumi, and the girl, Seema. The performance delivered the message that a courtesan is also a woman entitled to a life of dignity and respect within society.
Later, at 8:00 pm, the festival presented ‘Tujh Pe Qurban,’ a play written and directed by Hameed Rathore. The story revolves around DSP Aurangzeb, a police officer whose associations with notorious criminals begin to impact his personal life.
According to the storyline, the DSP”s unemployed son becomes involved with a gang led by an associate of his father. Dismayed by the situation, the officer’s wife, Raheela, leaves him. She later returns as a high-ranking SSP and is posted to the same district where an operation against the gang is underway.
The drama intensifies when the gang leader is apprehended and the DSP’s son attempts to kill his stepmother, SSP Raheela. In a demonstration of unwavering duty, DSP Aurangzeb shoots and kills his son, upholding the supremacy of the law. The play underscored the principle that police officers combat terrorism without regard for their personal lives.
The fourth day of the festival drew a large crowd of Karachi’s citizens to Auditorium Two of the Arts Council.