LAHORE – The first ever Lahore Literary Festival (LLF) is taking place on February 23, 24 at Alhamra.
The two-day program includes panel discussions on Urdu and English literature, and book reading. Scheduled panels include: The Courtesan in Urdu Novels; Legacy of Political Autobiographies; Urdu Writings Future in the Punjab; The Holy Warrior in Pakistani Cinema; Literature of Resistance; Discovering Pakistan’s English-Language Poetry; Challenges of Language and Storytelling in the 21st Century; and much more.
“We are excited about the interest and feel strong about the program, and the panelists would have the privilege of hosting”, said Nusrat Jamil, chairperson of LLFs Advisory Board. “This is a long-term initiative, which will enrich the cultural landscape of this unique city, every year,” she added.
The 2013 LLF speakers include Ahmed Rashid, Ayesha Jalal, Bapsi Sidhwa, Daniyal Mueenuddin, Hameed Haroon, Intizar Hussain, Jeet Thayil, Linda Bird Francke, Mohsin Hamid, Nayyar Ali Dada, Salima Hashmi, Tariq Ali, Tehmina Durrani, and Zehra Nigah.
“LLF was made possible thanks to the generous assistance of individuals and foundations as well as the support of the City District Government”, said Razi Ahmed, LLF founder and chief executive. “We are closely working with schools and colleges in and around Lahore to ensure youth participation in this event geared at promoting literature reading and critical thinking”.  Tickets for the 2013 LLF will be available mid-February. Citizens and journalists who wish to attend can register on the spot at the venue, or register ahead online.