LAHORE - The three-day Alhamra International Literary and Cultural Festival 2015 began yesterday with galaxy of literary personalities coming together for the first time on a platform prepared by the Punjab government.
Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif could not attend the opening ceremony due to some other engagement. On behalf of the Chief Minister Punjab, Salman Sufi, Senior Member SMU (Law & Order) Chief Minister’s office announced at the inauguration that Government of Punjab was taking a historic step to pay tributes to the deceased legendary Pakistani literary personalities by providing the citizens with the option of acquiring specialty plates with pictures of these personalities on them. He elaborated that SMU law and order along with Excise and Taxation are spearheading this initiative.
He said that these specialty plates will contain images of iconic Pakistani literary personalities (deceased) including writers, poets and artists. “The specialty plates will not only be a medium to express affection and respect for the icon, it will also improve Pakistan’s reputation internationally as positioning Pakistan as a country that pays tribute to arts, literature and to noble causes. “These plates will show the international community that terrorism isn’t a representative of our country, rather our artistic and literary history is our true representation,” he added.
Sufi stated that this initiative is close to the heart of Chief Minister of Punjab who has great respect and admiration for the honourable literary figures of Pakistan and an example of such an initiative can’t be found in other countries of South Asia. The names of the literary figures that will be included in these specialty plates will be announced soon and the project will be launched in 2016.
The event was attended by public as well as notable literary figures that among others included Ata ul Huq Qasmi, Bano Qudsia, Qavi Khan, Intezar Hussain, Munno Bhai, Javed Chaudary and other prominent literary personalities were present on the occasion.
The festival follows on the heels of Khayal Festival held last month at the same month and is on the pattern of Lahore Literary Festival.
The initiative of holding the festival is good gesture from the government and is being hailed by the citizens of the city as an event to meet the great literary personalities from across the country as well as abroad. There were panel discussion on a number of different topics of vital interest to the people who have interest in heritage, art and literature. An interesting session was about the city of Lahore and at exploring its future. The panelists in this session include Dr Ajaz Anwar, Kamran Lashari, Zafar Mahmood, Rao Javed Iqbal. The session was moderated by Dr Ghafar Shahzad.
Earlier a session was held about Nadeem Saadi. Among the panelists were Intezar Hussain, Masoood Ashar, Naheed Qasmi, Amjad Islam Amjad and Imran Manzoor.
The day ended with the classical dance performances by Nighat Chaudhry and Wahab Shah Dance Co.
The venue has been tastefully decorated to give it the look of festival or one can say of a carnival. Artisans presented their work in front of people, who took keen interest in the traditional ways of making cloth, clay utensils and other items. For the entertainment of people there were dancing horses, parrot fortune tellers and much more. You will have to be there to feel the roots of our culture and heritage. In the food court one can have the traditional makai ki roti (corn bread), saag and palik (spinach) with butter and chatty ki lassi (yogurt drink). To enjoy the winter you can have a go at latte as well. Don’t miss the treat while you meet the stars of literary world in your own city.