A 24-hour live performance by Sarmad Khoosat, groundbreaking!

We all know about Sarmad Khoosat directly or indirectly. By indirectly I mean, who doesn’t know about the TV drama ‘Humsafar’, right? Sarmad Khoosat directed it. Some of the other very impressive works of Sarmad Khoosat include TV drama, ‘Shehr-e-Zaat’ and film, ‘Ek thi Marium.’

This time, Sarmad has done something extra-ordinary in the history of theatre in Pakistan. Sarmad just performed for consecutively 24-hours in a live play called ‘No Time to Sleep’ and gave a performance of his lifetime. This in no small talk as even Mahira Khan and Fawad Khan were seen in video messages promoting this play.

#MahiraKhan will be logged on to https://t.co/QfqWCaiU6f to watch #NoTimeToSleep, a live performance by #SarmadKhoosat of the last 24 hours of a prisoner on death row on October 10, the World Day Against the Death Penalty.

Watch with us on https://t.co/vG23nyZluE. pic.twitter.com/NI57l56iMH

— Images (@dawn_images) October 8, 2018

#FawadKhan is logged on to https://t.co/QfqWCaiU6f to watch #NoTimeToSleep, a live performance of the last 24 hours of a prisoner on death row on October 10, the World Day Against the Death Penalty. Watch with us on https://t.co/666nDn7BCo pic.twitter.com/k5Eskh4S5P

— Images (@dawn_images) October 10, 2018

Dawn news kept people updated about every event that happened in the play.

Who is #PrisonerZ?

The story of Prisoner Z is inspired by the extraordinary life of death row prisoner Zulfiqar Ali — remembered for his dedication to educating prisoners and prison staff alike.https://t.co/YzJA6lG40V#NoTimeToSleephttps://t.co/gZJ6YzRBhj

— Dawn.com (@dawn_com) October 8, 2018

‘No Time to Sleep’ was directed by Kanwal Khoosat and had its collaboration with the Justice Project Pakistan, which is a human rights group. Sarmad Khoosat plays the character of Prisoner Z, which is based on the real life person, Zulfiqar Ali Khan. The play was performed on the 10^th October which is also the World Day against Death Penalty.

Zulfiqar Ali Khan was sentenced to death for killing two robbers in self-defense at the age of seventeen. He was also the first ever client of the Justice Pakistan Project. He spent 17 years on death row during which his execution was scheduled and stayed for more than 20 times. Zulfiqar used to teach the prisoners during his imprisonment.

Zulfiqar Ali Khan

Sarmad Khoosat did not only play the character but it looked like he lived it during the play as well. He stayed in the replica of a death-sentenced prisoner’s cell for entire play. As the play had to be live for a complete day and Sarmad could not retire from the character until the play was over, an actual toilet was installed on the set. Sarmad ate what the prisoners eat a day before their execution, which is just tea and biscuits.

Sarmad Khoosat lying inside the prison cell during play.

The play itself was very intense and was kept as close to the reality as possible. Sarmad Khoosat successfully depicted every feeling, thoughts and emotions a death-sentenced prisoner may receive during his last day before execution.

At times, the play got emotional, especially when the family of the Prisoner Z comes to visit him for one last time. Other times, it keeps you feeling pity for Zulfiqar Ali Khan and many other prisoners who had to accept the same fate.

Twitter is now trending with #NoTimeToSleep and many people and even celebrities congratulating Sarmad Khoosat on this phenomenal work of art.

https://twitter.com/sethimirajee/status/1050015777783468033

Innovative. Harrowing. Powerful.#NoTimeToSleep
Also, Sarmad Khoosat continues his winning streak.

— Osman Khalid Butt 🇵🇸 (@aClockworkObi) October 10, 2018

Whether you support capital punishment or don't I can assure no one was ready for Prisoner Z. The uncomfortable raw and riveting performance by @KhoosatSarmad & convos with the jailors espcially his family is something that just sends chills down your spine. #NoTimeToSleep

— Feeha-Noor Jamshed (@FeehaJamshed) October 10, 2018

‘No Time to Sleep’ creates awareness about those death-sentenced prisoners who were deprived of fair trials and fell victim to the unjust system. Many such people are not truly guilty but they are not represented in the trials properly. Prisons are supposed to rehabilitate its prisoners and make them better people so that they can participate in the society. Prisoners are not supposed to rot in the prison forever or until they are executed or eventually die losing faith in the justice and system. Pakistan needs to reform their judiciary system about death sentence and give fair trials to the criminals.

Source All Images: Twitter