Islamabad (P.R.), August 18, 2026 (Tuesday): The Pakistan Academy of Letters (PAL), under the National Heritage & Culture Division, Government of Pakistan, organized a ceremony to launch the Urdu translation of Prison Diary, the poetic work of Ho Chi Minh, the renowned Vietnamese revolutionary leader, poet, and founder of modern Vietnam. The ceremony was held at the Sheikh Ayaz Conference Hall, Pakistan Academy of Letters, Islamabad. The ceremony was attended by diplomatic representatives of various ASEAN countries, along with writers, intellectuals, and literary figures. Ambassador of Thailand Rong Vudhī Virabutr, High Commissioner of Malaysia Dato’ Muhammad Azhar Mazlan, High Commissioner of Brunei Darussalam Colonel (Retd.) Pengiran Haji Kamal Bashah Pengiran Haji Ahmad, Ambassador of Cuba Damian Cordero Torres, Chargé d’Affaires of Indonesia
Rahmat Hindiarta, and Chargé d’Affaires of Myanmar Maung Maung Thon were among the distinguished guests. The ceremony was moderated by Dr. Hamza Hassan Sheikh. Chairperson of the Pakistan Academy of Letters, Prof. Dr. Najiba Arif, welcomed the distinguished guests and diplomatic representatives and said that Prison Diary is not merely an account of a revolutionary leader, but also a poetic expression of human freedom, hope, courage, and determination. She said that the Urdu translation of the book had been undertaken under the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Pakistan Academy of Letters and Vietnam, which represents an important milestone in promoting literary and cultural cooperation between the two countries. She also expressed her resolve to further strengthen literary ties with ASEAN countries. At the conclusion of her address, Dr. Najiba Arif led a Fatiha for the renowned writer, poet, and intellectual Haleem Qureshi, who passed away during a ceremony at the Pakistan Academy of Letters the previous day, and paid tribute to his valuable literary services. Prof. Munir Fayyaz and former Ambassador Salahuddin Chaudhry spoke about various aspects of Prison Diary, Ho Chi Minh’s personality, poetry, and struggle, and presented selected verses from the book.
Presiding over the session, Imdad Akash described Ho Chi Minh as a symbol of courage, resistance, and freedom for oppressed nations and recited selected verses from the book. Vietnamese diplomatic representative Phan Anh Toan thanked Dr. Najiba Arif and the Pakistan Academy of Letters and said that Ho Chi Minh’s poetry represents Vietnamese national thought, freedom, and sovereignty. He described the Urdu and English translations of the book as an important development in promoting literary relations between Pakistan and Vietnam. Prison Diary is regarded as one of the significant literary works of the twentieth century. The book gives poetic expression to imprisonment, loneliness, and human suffering, while also highlighting freedom, hope, courage, and unwavering determination. The Urdu translation has been rendered by Ms. Kausar Khanum, while Ms. Najma Saqib carried out its revision. At the conclusion of the ceremony, Vietnamese diplomatic representative Phan Anh Toan presented commemorative gifts to the Chairperson of the Pakistan Academy of Letters, speakers, and organizers, while Dr. Najiba Arif presented the distinguished guests with gift packages comprising publications of the Pakistan Academy of Letters.
Following the ceremony, all diplomatic representatives and distinguished guests visited the book exhibition and cultural stall arranged by the Embassy of Vietnam at the Pakistan Academy of Letters. They were introduced to books highlighting Vietnam’s rich literary and cultural heritage, as well as various cultural artifacts. The ceremony further reinforced the commitment to promoting literary and cultural cooperation, mutual understanding, and stronger ties among Pakistan, Vietnam, and the ASEAN countries.
