Pakistan Literature Festival brings literature and art lovers together

LAHORE (Monitoring Desk) : The second day of the Pakistan Literature Festival (PLF) took place on Saturday (Feb 11) at Alhamra Arts Council, attracting hundreds of literature and art enthusiasts to the Alhamra Art Centre in Lahore.

One of the most notable sessions was “TV Pakistani Samaaj Ka Tarjumaan”, which was moderated by Yasir Hussain and featured veteran actor Munawar Saeed, playwrights Noorul Huda Shah, Asghar Nadeem Syed, Bee Gul, Amna Mufti, director Kassif Nisar, and actress Sanam Saeed. The session was a thought-provoking discussion on the current state of television and plays in Pakistan, with the panelists offering their perspectives on the matter.

Munawar Saeed acknowledged there had been some changes in the television industry over time but suggested that there was still room for improvement. Asghar Nadeem Syed expressed his disappointment with the monotony of current TV plays and the fact that they do not reflect the diverse issues faced by Pakistani society. Sanam Saeed argued that the quality of content given to artists to perform had been weak and suggested that heads of TV channels should also be invited to such sessions.

Another session titled “Ahmed Bashir Ka Kumba” was a heartwarming tribute to the late Ahmad Bashir and was moderated by his daughter, Bushra Ansari. The session featured his family members who shared their childhood memories and how their father had raised them with love and care.

Film star Shaan Shahid was in conversation with Bee Gul in another session, where he discussed the decline of the film industry in Pakistan and the lack of freedom of expression in the current scenario. Shaan suggested that literary figures should write films as literature can provide new ideas and quality content. The actor also called for unity among artists to launch their own television channel and get rid of commercialism.

The music night of the festival was a musical extravaganza featuring a Ukrainian singer Kamaliya and Pakistani singing sensation Ali Zafar.

The second day of the Pakistan Literature Festival had been a resounding success, bringing together literature and art lovers from all over to celebrate the rich cultural heritage of Pakistan.