KARACHI: Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi’s Stage Show Committee paid tribute to the renowned comedian, actor, and host Hanif Raja at Auditorium II. The event was attended by General Manager PTV Amjad Shah, cricketer Moin Khan, Stage Show Committee Chairman Saadat Jafri, famous actor Behroze Sabzwari, Ayaz Khan, Shakeel Siddiqui, Rauf Lala, Ali Hasan, Zakir Mastana, Ahmad Raja, singer Imran Javed, Nazar Hussain, journalist Athar Javed Sufi, Akhtar Ali Akhtar, Saleem Afridi, Irfan Malik, Yawar Chawla, Aslam Sheikh, Naeema Garaj, Faisal Nadeem, Shabana Kausar, singer Saleem Javed, Babar Abbasi, and others.
Many prominent personalities from the showbiz industry, along with a large number of people, attended the event. Meanwhile Nauman Khan performed the duties of Moderator.
Javed Sheikh, Bushra Ansari, Adnan Siddiqui, and Syed Furqan Akhtar spoke about Hanif Raja’s contributions to the arts via video messages. Showreel highlighting Hanif Raja’s artistic journey was presented at the beginning of event. Actor Behroze Sabzwari praised President Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi Ahmed Shah for elevating the Arts Council to great heights, noting that many artists are alive today because of the Arts Council since theater has almost vanished.
Comedian and actor Hanif Raja also expressed his views in the event.
He expressed pride for Arts Council of Pakistan, Karachi, and emphasized the importance of valuing Pakistan as it is like a family to us. He attributed the challenges we face today to the distinction between halal and haram and praised Hanif Raja as truly deserving of commendation.
Shakeel Siddiqui mentioned that many artists have emerged from PTV and recounted that it took them 15 years to journey from Nazimabad to PTV Bahadurabad. He shared that an artist sacrifices everything, recalling that he was on stage when his father passed away, and noted that being a successful father in addition to a successful artist is a great achievement. Saleem Afridi reminisced about the days when they were learning together; noting that confidence is the most valuable asset in showbiz, and Hanif Raja is full of it. He added that the glow on Hanif Raja’s face indicates that he still has a long way to go, just like the youth.
On this occasion, General Manager PTV Amjad Shah thanked President Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi Muhammad Ahmed Shah for maintaining the council’s vibrancy. He mentioned that Hanif Raja used to perform four different roles at a time and excelled not only as a comedian and artist but also as a dancer, noting that an artist is a complete package, and Hanif Raja has never hurt anyone’s feelings. Cricketer Moin Khan stated that the large turnout at the event was due to the love people have for Hanif Raja, making him a very fortunate person. He expressed happiness at being among the attendees and thanked the Arts Council for the honor it had given.
Hanif Raja’s son, Ahmad Raja, expressed his joy at witnessing a tribute to the son of a laborer. He said that he has learned a lot from his father, whose many roles were stolen by others. Many pranks that circulated on social media were copied, and his father introduced new concepts. Even after the death of his mother, his father took great care of them, provided them with a good education, and showed them the right path. He shared that he had often urged his father to remarry, but his father would reply, “Oh, I am still young.” Hanif Raja remarked that the word “tribute” represents years of hard work and sacrifice. He thanked all those who attended, noting that Amjad Shah has the admirable quality of prioritizing merit. He also thanked President Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi Muhammad Ahmed Shah for honoring him.
Reflecting on his early career, he mentioned that Umar Sharif and Moin Akhter were at the peak of their careers when he started, and while he was young at the time but he was very enthusiastic. The “Dhannu” item became very popular. He wanted to become a painter, but God blessed him with a lot of respect. He emphasized that as human beings, we should stay connected with each other, and expressed his deep gratitude to Farid Khan for his support, acknowledging that he would not be where he is today without him. Stage Show Committee Chairman Saadat Jafri shared that Moin Akhter had named his daughter Madiha, and expressed his happiness at cricketer Moin Khan’s presence at the event.
He thanked everyone for attending in such large numbers, explaining that the decision to honor artists during their lifetimes was made under the guidance of President Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi Muhammad Ahmed Shah. He described Ahmed Shah as the jewel of the Arts Council and said that the whole world is praising his work. At the end of the ceremony, Stage Show Committee Chairman Saadat Jafri presented a shield and flowers to Hanif Raja on behalf of the Arts Council of Pakistan, Karachi.
