LAHORE – Government College University (GCU) Lahore has announced the establishment of a separate Department of Performing Arts to provide students with formal academic opportunities in theatre and related fields.
Vice Chancellor Professor Umar Chaudhary made the announcement while addressing the closing ceremony of the 135th annual play of the Government College Dramatic Club.
The production, Rustam-o-Sohrab, a classic Urdu play written by Agha Hashar Kashmiri, explored themes of love, duty and the tragedy of blood relations.
Referring to GCU’s long-standing contribution to the arts, the vice chancellor said the university had already taken the first step towards expanding its academic programmes by admitting the first batch of students to film and television studies this year.
The ceremony was attended by renowned actor and GCU alumnus Noor Hassan, who welcomed the decision to make theatre part of the university’s formal academic activities.
Praising the students’ performances and the technical execution of the production, Hassan described GCU as a “nursery” for Pakistan’s entertainment industry.
He said the achievements of the students were a source of pride and cited successful alumni, including Omar Dar and Talha Chahour, as examples of GCU graduates who had made their mark in the industry.
Hassan expressed confidence that members of the current cast would also establish themselves in television and film in the future.
Referring to the late broadcaster and National Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA) founder Zia Mohyeddin, Hassan said that if an Old Ravian could establish an institution such as NAPA, there was no reason for GCU to delay establishing a formal drama department.
He also called for greater recognition of the performing arts as a professional career rather than merely an extracurricular activity.
Hassan said many students with a strong inclination towards acting were pushed by their parents towards fields such as medicine and engineering.
“Students should be allowed to study and pursue what they truly love,” he said.
