LOST GLORY: During the golden era of Pakistan Television (PTV), dramas were written by famous writers, and the stories presented the real culture of Pakistan. Today, when we have many entertainment channels in the country, the quality of drama and its presentation have deteriorated. The stories no longer have an original touch. A term ‘formula stories’ was coined to describe Pakistani films, which had very similar storylines. Now we can apply the term to most dramas aired these days. The stories are poorly crafted, and are alien to life in the country. Lavish weddings and foreign customs are promoted in the dramas. Some events presented are actually very illogical. Something really needs to be done urgenty to set things right in the world of television drama in Pakistan.

Imtiaz Akhter
Rawalpindi

GOODBYE TO A LEGEND: Pioneers of the national entertainment industry, each of them a legend in his or her own right, have been exiting the stage one by one after playing their phenomenal roles in this world. One such legend was Talat Hussian, a radio, television, stage and film star, having a golden voice and a dialogue delivery that was unique to him. Talat Hussain weaved his magic in Pakistani drama industry as well as in foreign films, winning appreciation and many an award. He — and, indeed, his ‘pause’ in the middle of a dialogue — will be sorely missed by millions of his fans.

Malik ul Quddoos
Karachi

HOPING AGAINST HOPE: One can only hope that someone will bust the mushroom growth of private schools in the country. Every street in Hyderabad appears to have at least one private school. These schools remain busy minting money while hiring teachers with qualifications no more than matriculation and intermediate. Such teachers are easily available since their salary ranges between Rs3,000 and Rs6,000. The relevant authorities need to regulate such schools and put in place a system of checks and balances.

Ariba Naz
Hyderabad

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2024