World Punjab Congress (WPC) chairman Fakhar Zaman has said that writers and intellectuals have to act as 'third umpire', "because during the past 50 years umpires in 'khaki' and civilian clothes have been defrauding the poor people of Pakistan by purposely giving wrong decisions".
He said this while addressing the launching ceremony of a Punjabi language book written by Ghazanfar Ali Nadeem.
Fakhar said that 21st century has to be the century of the thinking minds and not of the megalomaniacs, reactionaries, obscurantism and religious fascists. He claimed that prominent writers and organisations of different Pakistani languages had agreed with his proposal that 2004 should be the 'year of Pakistani languages'.
He said that 'World Punjabi moot' would be held in Lahore form January 29 to 31 in which 250 delegates from 15 countries would participate. Conferences and seminars in Sindhi, Pushto, Balochi, Brahvi, Seraiki, Hindko and other languages would follow the moot.
He criticised those writers, intellectuals, poets and columnists who "have been lackeys" of military dictators and always flattered governments for personal gains.