written by Sana Shafiq
edited by Numrah Malik
I happened to be somewhere on the 23rd of October. On a short walk to CIPS, pleasant gusts of wind blew and the sky was filled with orange hues and pink undertones. The last rays of sun were coming out as if they were passed through a diamond prism. In the auditorium, a variety of people were seated: eagerly anticipating what was about to come next. It was the day when two of the biggest societies of NUST i.e. NUST Community Services Club and NUST Dramatics Club collaborated for a noble cause: raising awareness about Breast Cancer and other social injustices faced by women.
The auditorium was a round sphere, buzzing with upbeat energy; like a star which was soon going to light up and spread warmth and hope in the galaxy of the world. While final touches were being made to deliver the play in its best form, some delivered singing performances to keep the audience entertained. Soon, the course of events commenced.
A powerful script was read which challenged our society’s stance on women and defended the idea of treating women as equally respectable individuals just like their male counterparts. The mime performance which followed it was also a heart-wrenching portrayal of how one woman is denied her right of choice and being an opinionated being in our society. The story of struggle and strife for acquiring freedom was told, all without using a single word!
At last, the main play started. The lights were dimmed out except for the ones focused on the stage, and the audience had their complete focus on the stage which was illuminated by lights. The drama narrated the gripping tale of Roha, who was diagnosed with breast cancer. She and her husband face the judgmental point of view of society on her diagnosis and treatment. Her husband tries to make both ends meet to cover the cost of treatment, but is himself overcome by the negative stigma in the society and thus, abandons her. An elder lady also shares her experience with Roha, for she also experiences isolation from her friends and family after being diagnosed with breast cancer. However, she advises Roha to not cave into the negativity spread by the people around her. In an emotional scene, she gets the support of her parents.
Despite facing all the backlashes and battling the judgments and negativity, she survives. It was a beautiful moment to witness a new dawn in the midst of darkness. In the end, Roha delivered a moving speech which openly questioned the stigma surrounding Breast Cancer and other unfair norms prevailing in our society.
The entire ordeal not only refreshed the minds of the audience after a hectic day, but also provided them a dose of awareness and spread a message of hope, that every cloud has a silver lining, and that every taboo is beatable. It is us who decide when the change begins. The night had begun outside the room, but there surely was the hope for a new dawn, brighter than ever.
Lastly, for their phenomenal performances, we would like to appreciate:
Eesha Irfan, Hamnah Aamir, Anza Zahid
And the talented individuals who headed and made the event possible:
Fatima Saleem, Hamnah Aamir, Tatheer Zahra, Ammar Saleem
خدمت نامہ 