LUMS Dramaline; Fun, Frolic & No Substance!!!!

It was warm evening, exam pressure and day long study but late evening fun filled dramas/skits were respite. It was wonderful to see students using various platforms to express themselves. Dramas are one of the creative means used across the world and various themes talk volumes about issues or events happening across the society. First day, four dramas were presented, performances were wonderful, creative vigor and talent was worth noticing. They made everyone laugh and walk away with fun. However, as LUMS student, drama themes disturbed me a lot and made me think. All three dramas were fun packed but them talked about drinks. One drama was about a gay, it was neither ridiculing nor demonizing gay or supporting but performance was more of physical nature. Gay character was getting closer or sitting on the top of other guy, wearing female nightwear etc. Second drama was about junior student ragging, a student from Karachi facing seniors. It was shocking to me once senior asked naïve junior about his academic profile, reply was “Mein Nay Inter Ka Course Kia Hay”. It was way below the belt; I could never expect this from LUMS student.  Lastly, a drama on Sawat Taliban was presented; they depicted the other side of the story. A guy visits Sawat with his wife, forcefully abused & wife gets killed.

One thing always comes in mind that everyone knows about Sufi Mohammad (Taliban Leader in Sawat Valley) and it is obvious the way our security establishment propped Taliban to get foothold in strategic tug of war in regional geo-political milieu. Drama depicted Taliban as heroes; the extreme actions against women were the result of US drones. Furthermore, it was never realized that Sawat had always been a tourist resort, a tolerant society but messed by Taliban. Talibanization is neither Islamic nor Pashtun culture it’s the result of geo-political tug of war hurting men, women and innocent children. Performances were no doubt fun watching but lack of substance shows dismal state of our society. To me it’s the by product of our academic system, we teach distorted history, de-intellectualization is eminent, biased media and dominance of right wing forces in security establishment of Pakistan is deeply hurting our progress.