Booklovers flocked to the Karachi Literature Festival overwhelmingly, here on Sunday, the last day of the three-day literary event. The Oxford University Press (Pakistan) organised the 10th KLF under the leadership of its new Managing Director Arshad Saeed Husain. The organising team and advisory board made great efforts to make the 10th KLF a resounding success.
From several book launchings every day to thought-provoking discussions on various subjects, documentary screenings, talks, and presentations, there was something for everyone at the KLF. The Urdu, Sindhi and English languages were also adequately represented.
Dr Ishrat and Shamshad Akhtar discussed the book "The Economy of Modern Sindh" by Dr Ishrat Husain, Aijaz A. Qureshi and Nadeem Hussain at its launch ceremony Aijaz Qureshi was moderator. Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah was special guest to launch the book.
A conversation was held between Bilal Zahoor and Harris Khalique on the book 'No Fortunes to Tell' by Harris Khalique. 'Rethinking Pakistan: A 21st Century Perspective,' edited by Bilal Zahoor and Raza Rumi was discussed by Bilal, Erum Sattar, I.A. Rehman and Nadeem Farooq Paracha. The Moderator was Mubashir Zaidi. Amin Gulgee, Khusro Mumtaz, Aquila Ismail and Taimur Suri spoke on book 'Pakistan's Radioactive Decade: An Informal Cultural History of the 1970s,' edited by Niilofur Farrukh, Amin Gulgee, and John McCarry. Niilofur Farrukh was its moderator.
At the launch ceremony of book 'Sindhi Adab: Aik Mukhtasar Tareekh' by Attiya Dawood, the author, Amar Sindhu, Shah Muhammad Pirzada and Yasmeen Hameed spoke while Arfana Mallah was its moderator.
The master performer Zia Mohyeddin read from the works of the legend humorist Mushtaq Ahmad Yusufi. Ghazanfar Hashmi, Shaheen Salahuddin, Huma Baqai and Ghazi Salahuddin expressed their views on a session titled "Is Today's Media Informing Society or Dumbing it Down?' Wusatullah Khan was moderator. A discussion on 'TV Drama: Rise and Fall' featured Kaif Ghaznavi, Saif Hasan and Azra Moheyuddin while Khaled Anam was moderator. In his inimitable style Anwar Maqsood spoke on 'Kuch Bhi.' Then came 'Aik Shaam Amar Jaleel kay Naam' moderated by Noorul Huda Shah.
The memorial session 'Qurratulain Hyder ki Yaad Mein' was focussed on 'Hum Hee So Gaye Dastaan Kehtay Kehtay" where Azra Abbas, Ahmed Shah and Asad Muhammad Khan participated with Waheed Noor as moderator.
Kaiser Bengali, Ikram Sehgal and Huma Baqai expressed their views on 'The Sorrows of Balochistan' where Mujahid Barelvi moderated. The documentary 'Indus Blues' was also premiered on the 3rd day. The film features folk artistes who shared relevant information of their struggles to keep a fading art form alive while reminding the world that it was a losing battle. Jawad Sharif is director and producer of the documentary. Taimur Rehman presented narrated 'Ye Kaisa Ishq Hai Urdu Zubaan ka.' The book by Sabyn Javeri 'Hijabistan' was discussed with Afia Aslam as moderator. Taha Kehar moderated a discussion on 'Can Literature Survive the hashtag?' with Sanam Maher, Sajeer Shaikh, Jahanzaib Haque and Hamna Zubair.
At the closing ceremony, keynote speeches were made by Dr Ishrat Husain, Deborah Baker, and I.A Rehman. Muhammad Merjuddin Ahmed, Group Head Human Resources and Administration, J.S Bank, one of the prime sponsors of the 10th KLF, also spoke on the occasion.
OUP Pakistan MD Arshad Saeed Husain said that the 10th KLF has been a New Generation Literature Festival where they saw how things are changing. He said that seasoned experts, brilliant scholars, and enthusiastic innovators who deliberated at KLF had been creating windows and new conceptual portals for all of us whether it is fiction, poetry, prose, music, performing arts, fine arts, education, publishing, or media, economy, or our cultural tapestry or our various languages and our lives.
"The 10th KLF has explored developing trends and frontiers. It has helped us and particularly the youth who are the future of Pakistan to grasp the Concepts of Tomorrow," he said. The 10th Karachi Literature Festival was a thoroughly enlightening and insightful affair. There is a need to have more such events to increase public appreciation of literature and art. It seems unbelievable that Karachi, which had a reputation for volatility and insecurity, has remained venue of a hugely successful and peaceful literature festival for a decade. But, it is reality.