ISLAMABAD: Continuing the festivities at the 3rd Islamabad Literature Festival, Oxford University Press (OUP) commence with the third day of events, at the Hotel Margalla, Islamabad, which also mark the last day of the festival.
This was stated by Ameena Saiyid OBE, Managing Director, OUP, at the concluding ceremony on Sunday.
The event begin on Saturday at 10am with a session ‘Art and Cultural Diplomacy’ moderated by Ayesha Fazl-ur-Rehman, ‘Ahmed Faraz: The Poet as Witnessed to the Age’, moderated by Mujahid Barelvi; ‘Birds of Sialkot’ by Kamran Saleem, moderated by Noor ul Hassan; ‘What Will You Give For This Beauty?’ by Ali Akbar Natiq, translated and moderated by Ali Madeeh Hashmi. Moeed Pirzada in conversation with Yaqoob Bangashauthor of ‘A Princely Affair: The Accession and Integration of the Princely States of Pakistan, 1947–1955’ and ‘The Eye Still Seeks’ by Salima Hashmi; presented by Art Now.
Attendees then join the conversation with ‘Pakistani Cinema: Kul aur Aaj’ moderated by Raju Jamil; ‘Judicial Activism or Justice Overdone? The Politics and Jurisprudence of the Chaudhry Court 2005–2013’ edited by Ijaz Shafi Gilani and Moeen H. Cheema, moderated by Ijaz Shafi Gilani;‘From Flaubert to Faiz: French and Pakistani Literature’ moderated by Bilal Tanweer and ‘From Word to Works’ presented by Art Now.
The event continue with ‘Healing the Nation: Trauma & Mental Health in Pakistan’ moderated by Murad Moosa Khan; ‘Why We Write?’ moderated by Framji Minwalla. ‘Adhoori Kulliyat, Poori Shairi’ moderated by Kishwar Naheed. ‘Deshat Gardi Aaj kul ki Mohabbat’ moderated by Najeeba Arif and ‘Crossing Boundaries , Blurring Borders.’ presented by Art Now, including ‘Gul Chandni’ in conversation with Zehra Nigah; ‘Afghanistan: North-Western Exposure’ moderated by Nasim Zehra; ‘Intikhab-e-Kalam: Zahida Khatoon Sherwaniya compiled by Fatema Hassan’ moderated by Zaheda Hina; ‘Tales of Islamabad, City of Spies’ by Sorayya Khan, moderated by Bilal Tanweer and ‘The Future of The Nation in Art’ presented by Art Now.
The evening also feature ‘From Lollywood to Bollywood and Back’ moderated by Asif Noorani; ‘1947:The Blood-stained Dawn’ moderated by Asif Farrukhi; ‘Names: A Study of Personal Names, Identity, and Power in Pakistan’ by Tariq Rahman, moderated by the Athar Tahir; ‘A History of Pakistan Literature in English 1947-1988’ by Tariq Rahman, moderated by David Waterman; ‘Historical Dictionary of the Sufi Culture of Sindh in Pakistan and India’ by Micheal Bolvian, by Yaqoob Bangash; ‘Tareeqat: Seven Elements of Living Sufism in Pakistan’ by Kamran Ahmed,moderated by Sarwat Mohiuddin.
The ILF come to an end with closing speeches by Ameena Saiyid and Asif Farrukhi, with keynote speeches by Zehra Nigah and Paul Harding, winner of the Pulitzer Prize & a Sufi Music Ensemble by Rafi Peer. NNI