Literary extravaganza reshapes minds

KLF continues its exploration of sustainability and the transformative power of words

KARACHI:

The Karachi Literature Festival (KLF) continued its exploration of sustainability and the transformative power of words on its second day on Saturday. Engaging participants in discussions, book launches, and presentations, the event aimed to reshape minds for a sustainable future.

The 2nd day featured 28 sessions on various literary and artistic genres, accompanied by the launch of seven noteworthy books.

In the first session, Ikram Sehgal and Martin Axman delved into South Asian politics, while “Teen Aurten, Teen Kahanian” explored diverse narratives. The “Evolving Federation” session witnessed insights from Qaiser Bengali, Faisal Siddique, Shabbar Zaidi, and Asad Umar. Shabbar Zaidi highlighted the strengthened Federation post the eighteenth amendment, emphasising the need for political unity.

Read KLF ends with enriching intellectual discourse

Reflecting on the Nasla Tower case, Qaiser Bengali shared insights from Balochistan, emphasising the delicate balance between cantonment control and democracy. Asad Umar stressed the importance of prioritising democracy in Pakistan.

Shehzad Roy, founder of Zindagi Trust, addressed the festival, underscoring the need for qualified teachers and the eradication of corporal punishment. He advocated for a four-year training course for government teachers to uplift education standards.

Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, discussing reform in Pakistan, called for the chief justice intervention to resolve election confusion. Miftah Ismail criticised the lack of focus on citizens’ welfare by current political parties.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 18^th 2024.