LLF renews community’s bonds with Pakistan

LONDON: A diverse crowd comprising the Pakistani community, other South Asians, British and Europeans, attended the fourth edition of the Lahore Literary Festival (LLF) here at the venerable British Library to hear conversations and panel discussions on literature and the broader humanities.The festival was inaugurated by Pakistan’s High Commissioner to UK Nafees Zakaria. Fatima Bhutto, Mirza Waheed, Senator Sherry Rehman, Salima Hashmi, Waqas Khan, Turkish writer Elif Shafak, Omar Khan, Raqib Shaw, Prof Ayesha Jalal, former editor of the Guardian Alan Rusbridger, Victoria Schofield and several other prominent names featured in this year’s day-long, star-studded edition.Razi Ahmed, LLF founder and CEO, said the festival’s aim was to showcase Pakistan’s contemporary cultural and literary thought. He said: “The LLF is a platform for championing ideas and also, through the annual editions of the LLF in London and New York, for more cultural interactions between the East and West.”Ahmed further opined: “Pakistan is a rich country with strong foundations of literature and poetry that have informed the public discourse over the decades since its creation in 1947 and it’s all the more critical that, in the same manner, the contemporary Pakistani literary voices be given a strong platform for engaging with audiences in Pakistan and abroad.”The British Library Chairperson Dame Carol Black remarked that the Lahore Literary Festival is a key part of the British Library’s annual programming and is annually eagerly-awaited by the audiences in London. She said hosting the Pakistani literature at the library was a thrilling experience.Zakaria said Ahmed along with his team put together an impressive show featuring some of the finest writers and opinion-makers from Pakistan, Britain and other countries. The high commissioner hoped that LLF would provide a useful platform for public discourse and create mutual understanding between various cultures and communities. He said being the cradle of ancient civilisations, Pakistan happens to be rich in art and culture and the LLF sets the stage to promote Pakistani cultural heritage at the international level.Zakaria commented: “The LLF would develop strong linkages between the literary circles of our two countries. Such affinities, when developed, transcend many differences and are utmost necessary for cross-cultural understanding, tolerance and global peace, which is the need of the hour.He added: “LLF is also aimed at satiating the appetite of our 1.5 million strong diaspora, who have great love for their literature, poetry and art. The festival can effectively connect them to their literary heritage; especially the young people who need to be connected to their cultural heritage. Our Sufi poets have always fascinated the world with their Sufi ethos of love for humanity, hope and peace.”There was a special session on the current situation in Indian occupied Kashmir and the ongoing siege in the held territory. The session featured renowned author Mirza Waheed, historian Victoria Schofield and writer Sonia Faleiro.Waheed voiced his concerns on the increasing anger and humiliation that continues to feed into the young Kashmiris. He spoke on the “quiet civil disobedience” that currently exists as a result of the siege and has continued to exist since 1947. Shedding light on the history of past sieges in the Indian occupied Kashmir, he said: “The ongoing siege is the worst as the Indian forces have picked up children as young as nine years old, while the whereabouts of the young people who were picked up remain unknown”. He appreciated the voices being raised at the international level against Indian oppression in Kashmir.Waheed highlighted at the LLF that one in six Kashmiris have experienced abuse, while 49 per cent of the Kashmiri population suffers from PTSD (Post-traumatic stress disorder) and half of the women suffer from depression.Actors Adnan Malik, Ainy Jaffri and Armeena Khan took part in a popular session on Pakistani drama and its outreach to the diaspora. “Go West: Pakistan’s Global Screen,” which was moderated by Fifi Haroon, also featured BB entertainment reporter Haroon Rashid. The actors shared how Pakistani cinema was changing and new and young actors were making a huge impact on the cultural direction of the country.The well-attended, one-day event encompassed a wide range of topics including literature, art, history, culture and politics. The festival culminated with a Qawwali performance by the Saami Brothers Qawwal in the evening, who were flown in from Karachi especially for the LLF.

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