Oxford University Press (OUP) would organise the seventh edition of Karachi Literature Festival (KLF) on February 5 to 7 at local hotel here. The three-day festival would feature talks, panel discussions, readings, book launches, English and Urdu mushaira, stand-up comedy, author signings, performing arts, art exhibition, film screenings, separate art strand, music, dance, book fair, literary awards, food court, and much more.
This was announced by Ameena Saiyid, Managing Director, Oxford University Press (OUP), and Director KLF, during a press conference held at Arts Council of Pakistan on Tuesday.
"An event like the KLF, the seventh in this city, is like a beacon whose light spreads out far beyond the grounds of the Beach Luxury Hotel-indeed, far beyond this city itself," said Ameena Saiyid. "The Festival has grown rapidly. Attendance rose from roughly 5,000 in 2010 to 1,25,000 in 2015," she added.
"KLF is not merely a local affair. With participants and visitors from all over the country, from all four provinces and all of our major cities, this is truly an all-Pakistan event. More so, with participants from India, UK, USA, Germany, France, Italy, and Austria, it is truly an international event," said Asif Farrukhi, Co-founder of the Karachi Literature Festival. Ameena Saiyid added that 224 Pakistani and 38 international authors and speakers from seven countries will attend the festival this year. Pervez Hoodbhoy and Fahmida Riaz will be the keynote speakers at the inauguration. The closing ceremony will be addressed by Ziauddin Sardar and Rakhshanda Jalil. There will be 21 book launches and more than 90 sessions.
Among the many literary luminaries, academics, and journalists participating, both from Pakistan and abroad, some of the notable names include, Anwar Masood, Arshad Mahmud, Anupam Kher, Asghar Nadeem Syed, Attiya Dawood, Barbara D. Metcalf, Barkha Dutt, Bina Shah, Ishrat Hussain, Feryal Ali-Gauhar, Intizar Husain, Jamsheed Marker, Kamila Shamsie, Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri, Kishwar Naheed, Laxmi Narayan Tripathi and Mustansar Hussain Tarar.
Ameena Saiyid also announced that the KLF Coca-Cola Best Non-Fiction Book Prize, KLF Embassy of France Best Fiction Book Prize, KLF Peace Prize (Consulate General and Embassy of Germany) and the KLF Urdu Fiction/Non-Fiction Book Prize would be awarded through the platform of the seventh KLF. The panel of judges for the prizes, including some of Pakistan's most eminent critics, writers, and scholars, have shortlisted three books for each prize category.