Ajoka plans 4-day theatre festival as tribute to Saadat Hassan Manto

Literary circles in Pakistan are paying tributes to the literary figure on his birth centenary by organizing many programmes in memory of Manto. Famous for his story Toba Tek Singh, Manto in his short life of 43 years wrote 22 collections of short stories and novels.
Lahore-based Ajoka theatre group is organizing plays devoted to Manto in collaboration with Lahore Arts Council from May 14 to 17, themed as "Tribute to Manto." Another Lahore-based theatre group Punjab Lok Rahs is also organizing plays on the life of Manto, sources said.
During the 4-day festival, drama and theatre performances of Manto's works like Siyah Hashiye, Toba Tek Singh, Khol Do, Akhri Salute, Naya Qanoon, Sawerey Jo Kal, Ankh meri khuli, Pardey ki baaten, Dekh Kabira roya and Uncle Sam ke khatoot would be staged at Alhamra hall. The plays are adapted by Shahid Nadeem and directed by eminent theatre personality Madeeha Gauhar.
Punjab Lok Rahs activist Shafiq Butt told The Times of India over phone from Sahiwal in Pakistan Punjab, "As Manto is a big name in Pakistan, literary circles are paying rich tributes to Manto on his birth centenary in mid May". While Ajoka theatre group is paying tributes by organizing a 4-day theatre festival in memory of Manto, organizations like Punjab Lok Rahs and Punjab Lok Sujag are also preparing to pay tributes in their own style, he added.
Shafiq said that some organizations have started pages devoted to Manto on social networking sites like Facebook in an effort to make people aware about Manto's life and works with a view to enrich the literature.