Karachi: A large number of books lovers and literature enthusiastic gathered at the second day of Karachi Literature Festival to attend different sessions of their interests on various thought-provoking subjects and gathered a bank of memories along with them.
Visitors at large exhibit their love of reading with purchase of different books authored by distinguished new and well-known local and foreign writers. Besides, the a serious of different activities related to literature was well attended by visitors of various ages.
Oxford University Press (OUP) event gathered avid readers, writers, academics, and literary figures from across Pakistan and the world for the second day of the 7th Karachi Literature Festival, which began yesterday at the Beach Luxury Hotel, Karachi.
Ameena Saiyid, Managing Director, Oxford University Press, and Founder/Director, KLF the purposes of the event include variety, excitement, and delight – variety in the many different ideas, thoughts, and concepts that have surfaced; excitement of the intellect and the imagination; and sheer delight at the pleasure that only intelligent discourse and debate can bring.
Beyond the festive enjoyment lies the simple fact that this Festival was about books, scholarship, art and culture, she said. And these are the most potent weapons that a civilization possesses.
At OUP and KLF, we have been trying consistently to encourage young writers. This year we increased the number of annual awards for writing. KLF 2016 saw the launch of our fourth award— the KLF Urdu Fiction/Non-fiction Prize. We also announced the Italy Reads Pakistan award.
The second day commenced with ‘Rumi: Mystic and Poet’ in conversation with Fahmida Riaz, Amar Sindhu and Bari Mian, moderated by Syed Nomanul Haq, ‘Book Launch: Globalisation, Governance and Growth by Ishrat Hussain’ by Syed Salim Raza and Ishrat Hussain, moderated by Vaqar Ahmed, ‘Column say Urdu Bloggers tak’; a conversation with Wusatullah Khan, Asghar Nadeem Syed, Masood Ashar, Zaheda Hina, Amar Jaleel and Mubashir Ali Zaidi, moderated by Wajahat Masood.
The book launch for ‘Borderlines by Sehba Sarwar’ was in conversation between Sehba Sarwar, Tehmina Ahmed, Noor Zaheer and Naila Mahmood, moderated by Ghazi Salahuddin. Also ‘Using Technology to Deliver Quality Education’ with Kasim Kasuri and Talea Zafar, moderated by Rabia Garib, followed by ‘Poetry in Art, Art in Poetry’ with Kiran Aman, Sonya Batla, Asif Noorani and Bina Sarkar, moderated by Faraz Maqsood Hamidi.
The festivities continued with ‘Samjhotay ki Chadar’ Said Mahmood in conversation with Zehra Nigah, followed by the Book Launch of ‘This Unquiet Land by Barkha Dutt’ where Ghazi Salahuddin was in conversation with Barkha Dutt, followed by ‘Writing History’ Nauman Naqvi in conversation with Barbara Metcalf, ‘Tharparkar: Desert Woes’ with Sono Khangrani, Tanveer Ahmed, and Masood Lohar, moderated by Sadiqa Salahuddin, ‘Fostering Innovation and Creativity through Protection of Intellectual Property’ with Amar Naseer, Ameena Saiyid, and Babar Ayaz, moderated by Syed Nusrat Ali, and ‘Photography in the Age of Art’ with Rafeeq Ellias, Amean J., Tapu Javeri, Arif Mahmood and Emaan Rana, moderated by Tehmina Ahmed.
A thoughtful session was held on ‘Transgender Rights: Are there Any?’ with Laxmi Narayan Tripathi, Khawar Mumtaz, Bindiya Rana and Reema Abbasi, ‘Agay Samandar Hay: A Tribute to Intizar Hussain’ moderated by Asif Farrukhi. There was the announcement of the KLF Peace Prize, ‘Our History, Our Heritage, Our Responsibility’ by Asma Ibrahim and Yasmeen Lari and‘Chugtai Revisited’ where Inam Khwaja was in conversation with Quddus Mirza.
The celebrations continued with ‘Safar aur Kahani’ Asghar Nadeem Syed in conversation with Mustansar Hussain Tarar,‘Mother Tongue: Medium of Instruction and Learning’ with Chaudhry Faisal Mushtaq, Farzana Firoz, Zubeida Mustafa, and Barbara Toye-Welsh, moderated by Baela Raza Jamil, ‘Laughter, the Best Medicine’ with Saad Haroon and Sanjay Rajoura, moderated by Nadeem F. Paracha, ‘Diversity and Dissent’ with Hafeez Jamali in conversation with Ziauddin Sardar, ‘Nayee Awazein (New Voices in Urdu Writing)’ with Ali Akbar Natiq, Mustafa Arbab and Inaam Nadeem, moderated by Tanveer Anjum and ‘Sibtain Manzil: Life and Times of Sadequain, A Conversation between Three Generations’ with Syed Sultan Ahmed Naqvi and Sibtain Naqvi.
This was followed by ‘Pakistani Cinema Strikes Back’ with Nimra Bucha, Sania Saeed, Farjad Nabi, Hashim Raza, Nadeem Mandviwalla and Tipu Sharif. Session was moderated by Shanaz Ramzi, ‘Words and Images of the Day’ commenced with Olivier Truc, Barkha Dutt, Farhan Bokhari and Fasih Ahmed, moderated by Ghazi Salahuddin, ‘Sarkari Urdu, Awami Urdu: The Official Status of Urdu’ was discussed by Arfa Sayeda Zehra, Masood Ashar and Nasir Abbas Nayyar, moderated by Fatema Hassan, the Book Launch ‘Eqbal Ahmad: Critical Outsider and Witness in a Turbulent Age by Stuart Schaar’ and debated by Pervez Hoodbhoy and Stuart Schaar, moderated by Nauman Naqvi, and “Locating Art” was moderated by Sumbul Khan.