Awami Theatre Fest begins today.

KARACHI -- The Arts Council of Pakistan, Karachi's annual Awami Theatre Festival (ATF) begins in the council's amphitheatre on Thursday (today) and will run until July 7.

The plays to be staged are in Urdu, Sindhi, Saraeki, Pashto, Punjabi, Balochi and Gujarati languages. Generally classified as mainstream theatre, which is why anyone can come and see them (and there's no need to buy tickets for them), they combine humour and social messages in a light-hearted manner.

The event will kick off with an Urdu play Gold Medal directed by Shakil Shah. The second day Sohail Abbasi's Bhurban will be put up followed by Meri Beti Raaj Karey Gi directed by Azmat Ali.

There will be two shows on Sunday: the first is Maza To Ab Aaye Ga directed by Pervaiz Siddiqui and the second involves a renowned name in the realm of commercial theatre and stand-up comedy, Rauf Lala, the name of whose play is Biwi Wapas Kero.

On Monday there will be a Pashto drama Mama Day helmed by Ilyas Nadeem while the first Balochi play Dil Wati Sambhal by Danish Baloch will be presented on Wednesday.

The next day a drama in the Gujarati language titled Ee Tu Theno directed by Aftab Kamdar...