The first episode of a new TV series, co-produced by the Pakistan Army, aired on Pakistan's HUM TV on Sunday night and was among the trending topics on social media in that country.
Ehd-e-Wafa tells the story of four friends in a Pakistan military setting. In addition to being highly anticipated, Ehd-e-Wafa has also attracted eyeballs for one of its stars in the first episode: Zoro, a Golden Retriever.
Well done Zoro!
— Asif Ghafoor (@peaceforchange) February 18, 2018
First winning appearance. pic.twitter.com/HdqYUp8FD2
Zoro is the pet dog of Major General Asif Ghafoor, the official spokesperson of the Pakistan Army's Inter-Service Public Relations (ISPR) wing. Two-year-old Zoro was already a star in his own right, winning awards. Zoro even has an Instagram account of his own, with over 5,600 followers. In Ehd-e-Wafa, Zoro is shown as the pet of Saad, a character played by Ahad Raza Mir.
Pakistan's Samaa TV reported Ehd-e-Wafa is Zoro's debut appearance on TV.
Ehd-e-Wafa has been co-produced by the ISPR and has been touted as a follow-on to Alpha Bravo Charlie, a popular series that aired on state-run PTV in 1998. Like Ehd-e-Wafa, Alpha Bravo Charlie was also produced by ISPR and told the story of Pakistan Army personnel and their involvement in various conflicts including Siachen.
Earlier this month, Mustafa Afridi, the scriptwriter of Ehd-e-Wafa, told mediapersons the series was not a sequel to Alpha Bravo Charlie.
According to Pakistan media reports, Ehd-e-Wafa is set in the backdrop of the SSG (Special Service Group), Pakistan's most well-known special forces unit.
Ghafoor and the ISPR have promoted Ehd-e-Wafa in the run-up to its première. Images have circulated of the cast meeting Pakistan Army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa.
