This year’s Adab Festival in Karachi will feature prominent speakers and literary figures
Artists, authors, academics and poets are among those set to appear at the festival, as per Festival Founder Ameena Saiyid.
The Adab Festival is back in Karachi for its 10th edition, taking place at Habitt City from November 22 to 23. The weekend gathering is sure to attract some very big names from art, literature, media and politics for a series of talks, music performances, and mushairas.
From the packed two-day programme, here are six things we thing you should check out:
Day 1 (Nov 22) at 3pm
Karachi’s preeminent art curators will sit down for a documentary and a discussion on the city’s art scene and one of the most prominent art shows it has to offer. Noor Ahmed, the curator of the Karachi Biennale 2027, will be joined by Amin Gulgee, the curator of the Gulgee Museum, and Bushra Hussain, the Karachi Biennale Trust’s artistic director.
Day 1 (Nov 22) at 5pm
Heer, the female protagonist of Waris Shah’s Heer Ranjha, has been a feminist icon since the tale carrying her name was first compiled in the 1700s. Punjabi scholar and poet Sarwat Mohiuddin will join singer Usama Israr Ahmed in dissecting Heer’s legend and discussing the character’s relevance in a modern context.
Day 2 (Nov 23) at 1pm
After her first literary exploration of the Pakistani university experience, author Nadya Chishty-Mujahid returned to the fictional Saeed School of Business with Perennial College Tales. Chishty-Mujahid will join author Taha Kehar to discuss her work and the many ups and down that define student life.
Day 2 (Nov 23) at 4pm
Feminist literary icon Kishwar Naheed in discussion with educationist Huma Baqai, journalist Wusatullah Khan and Professor Uzma Farman Farooqui of the Urdu department at the University of Karachi. The panel will be moderated by writer Noorul Huda Shah and presided over by poet Zehra Nigah; singer and kathak artist Shayma Saiyid will recite Naheed’s poetry.
Day 1 (Nov 22) at 7:30pm and 8:30pm
The Adab Fest will have two mushairas this year — a multilingual mushaira with poets representing the many regional languages spoken in Pakistan and a second Urdu mushaira. Poets at the first event will recite verses in Siraiki, Balochi, Sindhi, Punjabi, Pashto, Burushaski and Balti.
The second event has poets Anwar Shaoor, Peerzada Qasim, Afzal Ahmed Syed and Waheed Noor in its extensive lineup. Nigah will be leading the mushaira as sadar and Nasira Zuberi will be responsible for its nizamat.
Day 2 (Nov 23) at 4pm and 8:50pm
Two concerts are also listed on the schedule for the second day, with singer Zara Madani and folk musician Saif Samejo performing. Madani will perform at the venue’s tree garden in an earlier slot while Samejo will deliver the concluding performance of the festival.