The National History Museum in Lahore is set to host a dramatic reading of letters from the Partition era on August 13, offering audiences an opportunity to revisit the personal experiences and emotions surrounding the events of 1947.
The reading will be performed by writer, actor and content creator Adeel Afzal, who has appeared in the television drama Parizaad and films including Kamli and Zindagi Tamasha. Afzal is also the co-founder of collaborative scriptwriting company Amtul Shahida, which has written the script for HUM TV’s upcoming drama Bombay Tailors.
According to the event announcement, the programme will explore how families were separated by borders and uncertainty during Partition, with letters often serving as one of the few means of communication. These personal correspondences carried stories of hope, longing and resilience during a period of upheaval.
The event will feature a dramatic reading of authentic letters exchanged during Partition and aims to encourage audiences to reflect on the emotional dimensions of the historic division of the subcontinent.
The programme will take place from 6pm to 7pm at the National History Museum in Lahore’s Greater Iqbal Park. Described as Pakistan’s first digital interactive museum, the facility is curated and managed by the Citizens Archive of Pakistan and was established as a project of the Lahore Parks and Horticulture Authority. It opened to the public in 2018.
Those interested in attending are required to register in advance through the registration form available via the museum’s Instagram page.
Meanwhile, the Citizens Archive of Pakistan is also developing a history museum in Karachi. The foundation stone for the project was laid by the chief minister and mayor in May at Clifton’s Beach View Park.
