The 12th International Urdu Conference is successfully going on at Art Council of Pakistan and various sessions were held. A session on “What is Pakhtoon Culture?” held at arts Council of Pakistan Karachi. Abaseen Yousefzai was the guest in the session where Fozia Khan hosted the session. Abaseen Yousafzai discussed the Pashtoon culture and the pros and cons of the Pashtoon culture. He said in the tribal version of Pashtoon culture there are some odds, but the culture carries great poetic and literary history. He said from Khushal Khan Khatak to modern poetry the main theme of the honor of the Pashtoon society. He said Pashtoon lives in the mountain areas and that reflects their attitude where the Pashto Language poetry carries.
During the 8th session of the 12th international Urdu conference on Faiz Ahmed Faiz “Personality and Poetry” the book “Kuliyat e Faiz” of Nouman ul Haque was also launched in the session. The session was chaired by Zehra Niga where Iftikhar Arif, Syed Mazhar Jamil, Ashfaq Hussain, Nouman ul Haque were discussant and Arshad Mahmood hosted the session.
Iftikhar Arif said that Faiz Ahmed Faiz was a versatile Urdu poet and his poetry has a large impact and reflection of his time. He said that Faiz was very enthusiastic about the struggle and his whole poetry cover the different aspects of the society of Pakistan. Syed Mazhar Jamil said after partition Pakistan has multiple issues and everyone has struggled to make a space in the most difficult times. He said Faiz worked for the progress of common man as we as much inspired by the socialist revolution for which he beards an exile life as well.
Meanwhile, “Pakistan need to reemerge in the modern times, it seems we are still living in 1970’s. Nothing has changed since then” said Famous Pakistani Journalist Hamid Mir in a session with Asma Jahangir at arts Council of Pakistan Karachi in 12th ongoing International Urdu Conference. The session was entitled as “is Urdu literature and Journalism is Declining”.
Hamid Mir said the resistance movement in Pakistan is rich with the poets and writer and there was a time when literature and Journlism was working together but since politician and political news are the main facous of media, literature and Journalism apart from each other and there is now relation butween both Now. Hamid Mir talked about the Molana Muhammad Ali Johar, Habib Jalib, Faiz Ahmed Faiz and many other people who worked in the both fields. He said resistance need secrifices and all these people have given secrifices in many things, they have given up the career, their business and life for the freedom of speech. On the occession famous poet Kishwar Naheed shared her famous poem “hum Gunagar Aurten” where thousand attended the session at Arts Council Lawn.
Another session, entitled as “New settlements of Urdu” was held. The session was attended by Raza Ali Abadi from Germany. Hero Ji Kataoka from Japan, Ashfaq Hussain from Canada, Syed Pervaz Jahfari from USA, Wafa Yazdan Mansh from Iran, Wakeel Ansari from USA, Ishrat Moeen Seema from Germany, Suman Shah from France, Arif Naqvi from Germany, Tang Mang Shang from China, Nasar Malik frm Dinmark, Basir Kazmi from London, Rehana Qamar from London, Rahit Zahid from Scotland, Sadaf Mirza from Dinmark, and Arshad Farooq from Finland where the session was hosted by Anjum Rizvi.
Raza Ali abdi said that we all are working patiently in the different countries of the world and the situation is very welcoming that everywhere in the world we use to organise events and literature in Urdu is being created in the different languages and being translated into Urdu language. Hero Ji Kataoka said that he is working in Japan on Ghalib and translating many other Urdu fiction and poetry into the Japanese language. He said urdu is rich with the literature and everyone is willing to read the thoughts of the people who speaks Urdu. Tang Mang Shang came from China to share his work in Urdu he said Pakistan embassy in China working on the translations. Many famous Chinese novels and literature is being translating into Urdu Language and Urdu Language to Chinese language. Wafa Yazdan Mansh said Urdu and Persian are very close and there is a historical background of both languages, She told about the translations and work on Urdu in Iran. The other discussant also shared their achievements in the different regions in the world in the recent years.
“New settlements of Urdu”
The 10th session of 12th international Urdu conference covered the Urdu work in the abroad. The session was entitled as “New settlements of Urdu”. The session was attended by Raza Ali Abadi from Germany. Hero Ji Kataoka from Japan, Ashfaq Hussain from Canada, Syed Pervaz Jahfari from USA, Wafa Yazdan Mansh from Iran, Wakeel Ansari from USA, Ishrat Moeen Seema from Germany, Suman Shah from France, Arif Naqvi from Germany, Tang Mang Shang from China, Nasar Malik frm Dinmark, Basir Kazmi from London, Rehana Qamar from London, Rahit Zahid from Scotland, Sadaf Mirza from Dinmark, and Arshad Farooq from Finland where the session was hosted by Anjum Rizvi.
“Modren Saraiki Literature”
A session “Modren Saraiki Literature” held at Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi in the ongoing 12th international Urdu Conference. The session was attended by Saraiki Philosophers, Journalists, Writers, singers, poets and political figures including Poet Iqbal Sokarai, Nazeer Laghari, senior Journalist Shahid Jatoi, Col. Abdul Jabar, Kiran Lashari, Abida Batoon. Saraiki Musica was played where Saraiki Ajrak was presented to the Guests.
Nazir Lughari said Saraiki literature is rich with the literature, He said Iqbal Sokari has written many poems political wisdom and there are many other figures such as Diwan Fareed who played their part in the literature and Art. “Capitalism is a corrupt system, and it affects every man badly” he added. Senior Journalist Shahid Jatoi paid homage to Iqbal Sokari, he said: “Iqbal Sokari is just not only a poet but a movement in Saraiki literature.” He thanked President Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi for organizing such an event on Saraiki Literature and culture.
Famous International critic, writer, humorist, and poet Anwar Masood intersected with the audience directly in an event “An evening to Anwar Masood” at Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi. The session was part of the ongoing 12th international Urdu conference. The session was hosted by Irfan Ullah Khan. Irfan Ullah Khan paid homage to the legendary humorist and said there is no replacement of him in poetry and wit. Anwar Masood shared his old and new poems before the audience. The audience paid tribute to his work and appreciated him through applauses.
At the end of 2nd day of the 12th International Urdu Conference famous Saif Smeejo Sketches band presented music on Jalib’s poetry. The Artists were including Shumaila Hussain, Adnan Aafaq, Arman Raheem, Mustafa Baloch, and others.