ISLAMABAD Renowned Pakistani television artist, newspaper columnist, TV show director, puppeteer, script writer, and voice actor Farooq Qaiser was remembered on the occasion of his birth anniversary on Tuesday.
Born in Lahore on October 31, 1945, he was educated at the National College of Arts. He also attained a Master’s in Graphic Arts from Romania (1976) and another postgraduate degree in Mass Communication from the University of Southern California, USA, (1999).
He was a columnist, director, puppeteer, scriptwriter and a voice-over artist. He also wrote several humorous books including “Hor Puchho”, “Kaalam Galoch”, “Meethay Karelay”, and “Meray Piyaray Allah Mian”.
Qaiser’s portrayal of Uncle Sargam, a puppet character he created and also lent his voice to, became hugely popular in Pakistan and remained a household name for decades.
Uncle Sargam was first introduced in a television show for children Kaliyan, when it was broadcast on Pakistan Television (PTV) in 1976.
Along with Kaliyan, Putli Tama
sha and Sargam Time were Qaiser’s most loved TV shows. He was awarded the Presidential Pride of Performance award in 1993 for his craft. In 2021, he was awarded Sitara-e-Imtiaz for his unmatched performance and contribution towards the entertainment industry of Pakistan for over 4 decades. In 2010 he was conferred Lifetime Achievement Award from Pakistan Television (PTV).
Farooq Qaiser died on May 14, 2021 and was laid to rest in Islamabad.