“Realism, ensuring readers’ sympathy and appeal to imagination have been the major concerns of Urdu literature,” writer Intezar Hussain said on Monday.
Hussain was speaking on the last day of the International Literary and Cultural Conference 2011 at the Alhamra Arts Council.
He said writers like Munshi Premchand, Saadat Hassan Manto, Amrita Pritam, Ghulam Abbas, Asmat Chughtai and Deputy Nazir Ahmad had left a rich legacy.
The last day of the conference focused on 100 years of Urdu fiction and on folk music. The event included group discussions on novel, short story and the authors.
The speakers also discussed the role of government in promoting culture and arts.
“The conference was about how religion, dignity and honour influence ideas,” Asif Ziauddin, an educationist, said. The speakers also discussed the role of women in Urdu literature.
Folk singer Reshma was presented Rs20,000 by Ataul Haq Qasim, the Arts Council chairman.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 17th, 2011.
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