KARACHI: The Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi has launched the "Was Dhaari Sindhi Theatre Festival 2026" with a ceremony attended by Sindh Minister for Culture, Tourism and Antiquities Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah and President Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi Muhammad Ahmed Shah. The event aims to promote Sindhi language and culture through theatre, featuring eight Sindhi plays performed daily at 8:00 pm with free public admission.

According to Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi, the festival seeks to provide an effective platform for artists to showcase their talent. Minister Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah emphasized the significance of theatre as a training ground for aspiring actors and highlighted the international recognition of Sindhi artists, mentioning Fahad Mustafa and Mahira Khan. He noted their repeated nominations for the Sitara-i-Imtiaz, which have been overlooked by the federal government, and called for greater recognition of Sindhi artists at the national level.

President Muhammad Ahmed Shah remarked on the extensive efforts by the Arts Council to promote Sindhi theatre across multiple cities, despite its current standing compared to Urdu theatre. He commended the popularity of participating artists on social media and the festival's potential to offer quality entertainment. The inaugural play, "Tik Tik," received enthusiastic audience feedback, underscoring the festival's success in engaging theatre enthusiasts.