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The 10th Islamabad Literature Festival (ILF), ‘Words Change Mindsets,’ came to a close after numerous panel discussions, mushairas and performances, culminating in a Sufi night. The soulful performance by Akbar Ali Khan transported the audience to state of peace.

Arshad Saeed Husain, Managing Director Oxford University Press Pakistan, stated, “Our passion and commitment is towards ensuring that Literature continues to drive the change towards a progressive and equitable society. We are blessed to have found an ever-expanding group of friends like you to empower our mission.”

The last day saw a series of book launches, including Akbar in Wonderland by Umber Khairi, Najeeba Arif’s Mazahir o Mubahis, Shahid Siddiqui’s latest work, Toronto, Dubai, and Manchester, M. Athar Tahir’s Telling Twilight, Pani pe Likhi Kahani by Mohammad Asim, My Friend Mairaj: An Intimate Biography by Shamim Ahmad, and Aankh se Aasman Jata Hai by Tariq Naeem.

The breadth of styles and genres showcased the diversity of modern literature and commenting on the transformative character of such events, renowned writer and critic Muneeza Shamsie said, “ILF has shown us the unifying power of words, fostering dialogue across divides and inspiring change.”

Najeeba Arif, poet and writer who participated in various sessions, added, “Literature shapes our perspectives and allows us to see the world through others’ eyes.”

Umber Khairi in a conversation with Aamir Ghauri shared insights on her protagonist’s challenges of social and political ethos in the nineties. Her novel, Akbar in Wonderland, is set in 1990s Pakistan, in a post-martial law landscape.

Shamim Ahmad discussed the legacy of Mairaj Mohammad Khan with Safiya Aftab peppering her narration with personal anecdotes that engaged the audience.

The festival also celebrated English poetry with the launch of Poetry in English from Pakistan edited by Ilona Yusuf and Shafiq Naz. The panel of poets showcased many luminaries of the English language poetry emanating from Pakistan.

Two sessions devoted to public discourse were Season 2 of Capital Talk featuring a thought-provoking conversation between Hamid Mir and Meher Bukhari and a panel discussion on Free speech vs censorship. The former addressed current issues in journalism while the latter explored the need to balance content regulation on social regulation with freedom of expression. The plethora of fake news was weighed against the need to protect the rights of minorities.

A segment of the day was devoted to arts and heritage with a session moderated by Hammad Hussain, Visual Journey: Documenting the National Art Gallery of Pakistan. In a session on Urdu Poetry, Zehra Nigah said, “Literary molds evolve with time to stay relevant — very much like the physical structures. Literature has never had boundaries, and it will stay connected to its historical legacy while reflecting present dynamics.”

The education crisis in Pakistan again reared its head in various sessions as merits of diversified approaches and examination boards were discussed. The panel, Our Education System and the Future Workforce Needs, focused on aligning education with workforce demands with all panelists alligned on the need to train and evaluate teachers.

The session, Pakistani English Literature: Defining a Canon, discussed the evolution of English literature originating from Pakistan while Who Owns the English Language explored contemporary Pakistani Anglophone fiction.

Frequented by diverse groups, the ILF included sessions on the economic opportunities and potential of AI and digital storytelling and content creation, capturing the interest of the younger visitors. Weaving the strands of the various themes to convey how ‘Words Change Mindsets’, the closing reinforced the pivotal role literature plays in developing empathy and understanding of nuances in societies.

Originally published in Dawn, November 11th, 2024