Punjab govt should have ensured foolproof security as the event's cancellation is embarrassing and incommodious
LAHORE: The first day of the Lahore Literary Festival (LLF) was cancelled at the last minute on February 19. The LLF is a yearly event that is organised in the most orderly manner, providing an opportunity to the people of Lahore to interact with Pakistani and foreign scholars, writers and artists. It was upsetting news for all the lovers of art and literature as they heard the news of the first day being cancelled. Many foreign dignitaries had already arrived in Lahore. What message would they be carrying with them on the slashing of one day and sticking to a limited time with a change of venue, that too, to such a place which cannot accommodate a large number of people.
The management and the organisers had well in advance announced the dates of the event. The Punjab government should have ensured foolproof security arrangements as this cancellation is embarrassing and incommodious, not only for the organisers of the LLF but for the whole nation. Just recently, the three-day Karachi Literature Festival (KLF) ended peacefully with no untoward incident. Arrangements and security measures taken at the KLF could have been easily implemented for the LLF. Lahore is a city of great historical value with numerous historical monuments and is the only city in Pakistan which has been the centre of art and literature even before the birth of the country. Also, it has been a permanent place of residence for renowned poets and writers, and is famous for its cultural heritage the world over. Every Lahoriite will be justified in wondering why the hub of art and literature is being deprived of such a healthy event.
Aamir Aqil
Published in The Express Tribune, February 20th, 2016.
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