KARACHI: A collection of articles about Pakistan’s songwriters engaged with the film industry in past and present times was launched on Thursday at the Pakistan Arts Council.

With noted poet Hemayat Ali Shaer in the chair and famous music composer Nisar Bazmi as the chief guest, the book has been compiled by Zakhmi Cawnpuri and sponsored by Al-Qalam Pakistan.

Prof Saher Ansari, TV producer Amir Imam, broadcaster Hashmat Jaffery and veteran actor Talat Hussain were among the speakers who admired the writer for the compilation work.

Hemayat Ali Shaer, in his presidential address, acknowledged the work as a good reference book. Film writers, he said, were always kept aside and not included in the main stream of writers. However, the book compiled by Zakhmi Saheb had

literary value. By doing so well, he had combined together literary prose and film writing, he said.

Nisar Bazmi valued the book for its authentic historical account, spread over almost fifty-five years, starting from Arzoo Lucknawi and Soofi Tabassum to present-day poets. Prof Saher Ansari, while appreciating the book, pointed out some inaccuracies in the text and hoped those will be removed in the next edition.

Shafiquzzaman did the compering.—HA