Anwar Maqsood asks PM to revive cancelled NOC for ‘House Arrest’

Satirist Anwar Maqsood has requested Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif to revive the No Objection Certificate (NOC) for his latest theatre play titled “House Arrest,” which was cancelled after nine shows.

The notification issued by the Office of the District Magistrate Islamabad Capital Territory with the subject ‘Withdrawal of No Objection Certificate’ dated April 30 read, “…You are hereby directed not to conduct the said activity/event. In case of non-compliance, necessary legal proceedings will be initiated under the law.”

In a video statement, Maqsood called on the PM, saying, “The NOC of my play House Arrest was suddenly withdrawn after it was being performed nine times. There were still 11 shows left to be performed.”

Concerned about the financial loss, he explained that seven to eight new actors and actresses who were performing for the first time in the play were trained for one month. “There is always new talent in my every drama. I do not place senior actors in my play. We have suffered a great loss, and we are not wealthy either.”

“We request you [PM] to issue the NOC,” he concluded.

In February 2025, speaking at a press conference alongside Arts Council President Ahmed Shah in Karachi, Maqsood said that although the name of this play is House Arrest, it does not include any political satire, adding, “It does not include the name of any political party, any institution or any specific entity.”

The veteran writer explained that the play was actually an unusual story about a boy who had locked his mother, the owner of the house, in one of its rooms, along with her cousin.

On the choice of selecting the name of his play, House Arrest, he stated that he first named the drama Ghar No: 804, but the President of the Arts Council of Pakistan, Mohammad Ahmad Shah, asked him to change it. 

“Then I came up with the title Extension; he again rejected it. Shah Sahib suggested I come up with something related to marriages. So I said let’s name the play Adiala Bana Aya Re, he turned down that as well. Finally, we settled on House Arrest. The thing is, it’s a simple story, not against anyone, I hope the audience will enjoy it,” Maqsood said.

He maintained that this will be one of the best plays in the country’s history. 

House Arrest by Kopykats production was directed by Dawar Mehmood and produced by the Arts Council of Pakistan.