Family Planning and Social Issues: The Impact of the Classic Drama "Nijat

Family planning, child labor, deteriorating facilities in government hospitals, lack of education and awareness, counterfeit medicine trade, the state of public schools, the behavior of the police and bureaucracy, child marriages and underage weddings, human trafficking, and the use of children for pickpocketing are pressing issues in our society.

If you want to see these issues portrayed in the best possible way, look no further than the classic PTI drama series "Nijat," which aired in 1993.

With seasoned actors such as Naumaan Ijaz, Atiqa Odho, Huma Nawab, Sajid Hasan, Marina Khan, Latif Kapadia, Malik Anokha, and Aslam Lata, along with director Sahira Kazmi and writer Asghar Nadeem Syed, this drama is a true classic. Watching this drama, one does not feel as if they are observing something unfamiliar, as these societal issues are common in Pakistani society, especially in semi-urban and rural areas. Sahira Kazmi did not compromise on any aspect of the drama, whether it was the background music or the selection of actors' roles. Everything fit together perfectly like a gem in a ring.

The drama was so successful that Johns Hopkins University and Aftab Associates conducted a study, in collaboration with the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) in Canada, to understand the effects of this drama on Pakistani society.

Those who have watched it will remember it vividly, and for those who haven't, it is available to watch on YouTube.