Nigar Nazar, Pakistan's First Lady Cartoonist

A Blast from Past!

A “Caricature” is a pictorial representation of a person, which exaggerates his characteristic traits for comic effect…this, is simple definition about caricature but when cartooning any character becomes serving your Nation, highlighting social and political issues, the name always blinked in mind of Nigar Nazar! She created a marvelous character of a teen girl and named her Gogi!

Nigar Nazar, the first woman cartoonist of Pakistan and conceivably the whole Muslim world, has for over 30 years rendered pictorial humor with a down to earth pragmatism. These highly expressive cartoons have provided cheer to gloomy days and attempt to beat the hypocrisy of society. This amazing cartoon character born in the ’70s from Nazar’s pen, the ageless Gogi has done the rounds of newspapers, magazines and TV channels in Pakistan and abroad. Nazar explains her as the representation of the open-minded, energetic and adventurous Pakistani woman who declined to kowtow to power and finds humor in the extremely trying of situations,

Nigar Nazar, the first woman cartoonist of Pakistan and CEO of Gogi Studios.

Nigar Nazar ought to have wider international recognition and support for her worthy, highly regarded and splendid work! While giving an interview she said;

“I believe Gogi teaches you to laugh at yourself in the worst of situations… When Gogi was appearing in newspapers, many women could relate to her. She was a source of amusement to her readers. I believe Gogi teaches you to laugh at yourself in the worst of situations. And we all need to do that. I have been occupied with projects and storybooks for children for the past few years, so for the time being my readers are children. It’s nice to see the impact of these books on young children, especially the book on environment called The Garbage Monster. Children in public schools will soon be receiving schoolbags with eight fun books/comic books authored by me. They will be attending workshops in which they will be entertained with animated Gogi cartoon spots, live cartoons and tips on drawing cartoons. They will also receive sketchbooks and art supplies from Gogi Studios for this purpose”.

Gogi’s cartoon on Bus!

Gogi cartoons have appeared in various newspapers, magazines and TV all around the world. Freshly her cartoons have been put on the external designs of seven buses in Pakistan. The children love it and all of them want to travel the colorful "Gogi-bus."

• For her altruistic work, Nigar has received many acclamations and honors from organizations such as:

• Unicef,

• UNDP,

• Media Watch Newsletter,

• Bishtek International School,

• Kinnard College for Women,

• International Charity Group Maputo,

• The Word Festival of Australia,

• Pan Pacific, and

• South East Asia Women's Association.

Nowadays, Nigar is working on a book; it is a very useful book for graduates who require finding a job. This is being geared up for the students of the University of Oregon, where Nigar has arrived as a Fulbright Scholar. She is affiliated with the art department at the University of Oregon.

A cartoon character, Gogi sounds off on every domestic issue under the sun.