Senior journalist and EWCA-IC Secretary General, Faiz Muhammad Paracha, moderated the evening.
‘Malka Aliya Laila’: Dr. Faisel Paints the Untold Stories of Sex Workers. The book launch of Malka Aliya Laila: Paintings on Stories of Sex Workers in Pakistan at The Black Hole offered a powerful evening of art, empathy, and critical reflection. Organized by Gallery 6 in collaboration with the East-West Center Alumni Association – Islamabad Chapter, the event drew artists, writers, academics, and students into a rare dialogue blending public health, art, and human experience.
Senior journalist and EWCA-IC Secretary General, Faiz Muhammad Paracha, moderated the evening. Introducing the author, he said, “Dr. Arjumand Faisel has lived many lives in one.” From working as a journalist in tenth grade and becoming PTV’s youngest compere at seventeen, to training as a doctor and later earning public health degrees from Pakistan and the U.S., Faisel’s career spans disciplines. In 2008, he founded Gallery 6, now Islamabad’s largest private gallery, and later established the Arjumand Painting Award, a leading national art prize.
This unique fusion of medicine and art defines Malka Aliya Laila. “Sex workers have long appeared in global art,” said Paracha. “Often romanticized, or seen through the male gaze. But Faisel does something different — he paints them as full human beings. Just like Manto told their stories with empathy, Faisel paints them with dignity.”
Art critic Cosima Brand delivered an emotional response: “With tears in my eyes, I look at this work. Rarely does art speak so directly to the soul. This is a man trained to collect health data, yet deeply moved by stories numbers couldn’t capture. Each defiant glance, every injustice, every proud but broken woman — it’s all here.”
Dr. Faisel reflected on his early 2000s HIV/AIDS research: “What I saw wasn’t just data. It was trauma, resilience, and untold pain. These women stayed with me — not as case files, but as people. Eventually, their stories came out on canvas.”
Using Expressionist techniques, Faisel channels raw emotion into art that doesn’t just resemble life but reveals its inner truths. A multimedia presentation showcased selected paintings, followed by a discussion on ethical representation and the personal cost of portraying marginalized lives.
By the end of the evening, one message resonated clearly:
Malka Aliya Laila is more than a book. It’s an artistic and humanitarian act — bridging research, medicine, and painting to give voice and dignity to women often silenced by society.
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