In 1983, a group of young people led by a renowned TV actress, Madeeha Gauhar, pioneered the theatre movement in Pakistan with a theatre group called 'Ajoka'. Ajoka has established working relationships with NGOs in Pakistan and theatre groups in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and the Philippines, with the aim of creating theatre that contributes to the creation of a just, secular, egalitarian Pakistan.

Ajoka has collaborated with theatre groups in South Asia, in particular from India and Bangladesh. They first performed in India in 1989, and have since performed a number of times. Ajoka has been influential in that it has worked with renowned theatre stars from other countries, such as Safdar Hashmi, Anuradha Kapoor, Ratti Bartholomew, Kamla Bhasin and Kewal Dhaliwal. Through collaboration with theatre groups and actors in India, Ajoka has shown a commitment to the ideals of peace and tolerance.

In 2012 Ajoka was awarded the prestigious Otto Rene Castillo Award for Political Theatre.

Ajoka - A story of Activism and Theatre

Theatre group Ajoka has been part of the struggle for a democratic, humane and egalitarian Pakistan for the last 25 years.

http://vimeo.com/62215644

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTX_RkJN8