
Call to amplify voices rooted in local culture
The 16th Karachi Literature Festival (KLF) concluded on Sunday with a call to amplify "narratives from the soil," by promoting voices rooted in the country's cultural and literary landscape.
The festival brought together authors, literati, intellectuals, and artists for gripping discussions on literature, society, governance, and the arts.
Urban development took centre stage in "Urban Dialogue: The Karachi Katchehri," where Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab, Mansoor Raza, and Bilal Hassan spoke about the city's governance and infrastructure challenges.
Global and national issues triggered interesting conversations, such as "Pakistan-Bangladesh Relations: A Reset" with Ikram Sehgal and Salma Malik, and "Pakistan's Population: Time Bomb or Dividend?" where Azra Fazal Pechuho, Lubna Naz, Rehana Ahmed, and Khalid Masud discussed demographic challenges.
Sustainability was a focus in "Integrating Impact and Sustainability into Business, Investment, and Life," featuring Martin Dawson, Maya Inayat Ismail, and Qasim Ali Shah. Meanwhile, the evolution of media was explored in "Have Electronic & Social Media Eroded the Quality of Political Debate?" with Azhar Abbas, Amber Rahim Shamsi, Shehzad Ghias Shaikh, and Faisal Subzwari.
Kamila Shamsie reflected on her writing journey in "Weaving Worlds with Words." The festival also paid tribute to literary figures in "Ode to Our Fathers," where Saba Hamid and Tazeen Hussain remembered Hameed Akhtar and Talat Hussain.
The intersection of literature and television was examined in "Chhoti Screen ki Bari Fatoohaat," featuring Noorul Huda Shah, Saba Hamid, Nadeem Baig, and Sarmad Khoosat.
Urdu literature was celebrated in "Urdu ki Taza Bastiaan," with Iftikhar Arif, and Harris Khalique.
Poetry lovers enjoyed "Kuchh Ghazalain, Kuchh Nazmain," featuring Moazzam Ali Khan and Maya Khan, while "Karachi: Kahaaniaan aur Nazmain" explored the city's literary heritage with Raja Shehzad, Sajjad Ahmed, and Afzal Ahmad Syed.
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