OSLO: Pakistani-Norwegian director, playwright, and actor Tony Usman is set to present a stage drama centred on the execution of Pakistan’s former Prime Minister and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) founder, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
In connection with Bhutto’s death anniversary on Friday (April 04), Tony Usman said his play, titled “Death Sentence”, will premiere on October 9 at a theatre in Oslo, Norway, in the Norwegian language.
He said Bhutto’s last days in his death cell hold great historical and political significance. He emphasised that this period is not only crucial in Pakistan’s history but also in global political discourse.
He said the play will not simply depict a prisoner awaiting execution but will provide a broader perspective on Bhutto’s life, ideology, and political journey.
Tony Usman asserted that Bhutto was well aware that military ruler General Zia-ul-Haq was determined to have him executed. Beyond Zia’s personal vendetta, the global geopolitical landscape also played a role.
The United States was preparing to use Afghan Mujahideen against the Soviet Union, and a socialist-leaning leader like Bhutto would never have allowed Pakistan to become part of this war.
Usman, who has over 30 years of experience in theatre and film, addressing the Norwegian-language presentation, argued that Bhutto’s global significance and the circumstances of his execution make him a compelling figure beyond Pakistan.
Reflecting on Bhutto’s political legacy, Usman noted that even after 50 years, global superpowers continue to dominate weaker nations in the same manner.
When asked whether the play could be staged in English or Urdu, Tony Usman expressed his desire to expand its reach, provided the right collaborators and platforms become available.
Furthermore, it is noteworthy that in 2010, a play, ‘Roshni ka Safar,’ directed by Hasan Abbas Raza and produced by the Ministry of Culture, was staged at the PNCA - a brief story of executed Bhutto and her assassinated daughter Benazir.
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