The Pakistani team was among the seven international productions picked up by the NSD selection committee to perform at the 13th edition of Jashn-e-Bachpan
A Pakistani theatre team scheduled to perform at the ongoing children's festival at the National School of Drama (NSD) cancelled their visit at the last moment, following which their slot went vacant on Wednesday. The reason for the cancellation could not be ascertained. The festival will conclude on November 25.
The Pakistani team was among the seven international productions picked up by the NSD selection committee to perform at the 13th edition of Jashn-e-Bachpan. The team was to perform a play in Urdu on Wednesday.
"The Pakistani play was selected by the committee in August this year, following which we sent them an invitation letter. They accepted the invitation and said that they have initiated the required procedure to come here and perform," an NSD official told DNA.
"We had been trying to contact them since early November, but they didn't respond. They didn't even inform us that they wouldn't be participating. We could have selected another team for the slot," said the official, requesting anonymity.
"NSD was eagerly waiting to host the team. We are really disappointed that they cancelled the plan," he said, adding that School was still waiting for their reply, so that they could at least know why they cancelled without informing anybody.
Meanwhile, several visitors had especially come to enjoy the Pakistani play and had to return disappointed. "I was looking forward to the Pakistani play. When I came to know that the team hasn't arrived, I was really disappointed," said Shivam Bansal, a student.
This was the first time since 1998, when the gala was first organised, that the event went international, with teams from Sri Lanka, Israel, France, and Switzerland coming to perform. Earlier this year, a Pakistani team scheduled to perform at NSD's Bharat Rang Mahotsav theatre festival could not come due to Visa issues.
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