BARNALA: Story teller par excellence,

is being remembered fondly in Pakistan. Although born at Samrala near Ludhiana in Indian Punjab,

got the prominence in Pakistan’s Punjab. The literary circles in Pakistan paid tributes to Manto on his birth centenary by organizing several programmes devoted to Manto. More famous for his story Toba Tek Singh, Manto in his small life of 43 years wrote twenty-two collections of short stories and novels.

Lahore based Ajoka theatre is organizing plays devoted to Mantoi in collaboration with Lahore Arts council from May 14 to 17 themed as ‘Tribute to Manto’. Another Lahore based theatre group Punjab Lok Rahs too is organizing plays on the life of Manto.

During this 4 day festival, dramatized, theatrical performances of Manto’ works ‘Siyah Hashiye’, ‘Toba Tek Singh’, ‘Khol Do’, ‘Akhri Salute’, ‘Naya Qanoon’, ‘Sawerey Jo Kal’, ‘Ankh meri khuli’, ‘Pardey ki baaten’, ‘Dekh Kabira roya’, ‘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 talking to Times of India over phone from Sahiwal in

said “as Manto is big name in Pakistan, the literary circles are paying rich tributes to Manto on his birth centenary in mid May”. He said Ajoka theatre group is paying tributes by organizing four-day theatre festival in the memory of Manto and some other organizations too are preparing to pay tributes in its own style like Punjab Lok Rahs and Punjab Lok Sujag.

Shafiq said some organizations have started pages devoted to Manto on social networking sites like Facebook in making people aware about Manto’ life and his works for enriching the literature.