Karachi Literature Festival | 7th, 8th & 9th February | Beach Luxury Hotel

8:35 pm

The second day of the Fifth Karachi Literature Festival comes to an end. – Photo by Aliraza Khatri

8:30 pm Interview with Uzma Aslam Khan

While attendance in the morning was sketchy due to the strike call, I'm ever so glad that it did not affect the proceedings at #KLF #Karachi

— Kiran Bashir Ahmad (@kiranba) February 8, 2014

7:34 pm Thinner than Skin: In Conversation with Uzma Aslam Khan

Responding to how she decided to become a writer during the book launch of Thinner than Skin, Uzma Aslam Khan said she never consciously thought of becoming one. She said the label “writer” sounded rather arrogant, but added that writing balanced her.

“My teachers were very encouraging. When I went to grad school and my peers were submitting their writing samples, I didn’t have anything. Later, I wrote my manuscript and it was finally accepted by a publisher in Delhi, but it took a very long time,” Khan said.

In response to a question, she said “A Room of One’s Own” by Virginia Woolf shook her most profoundly as a writer, adding that it is more powerful than a bomb.

Meanwhile, answering a question by moderator Razeshta Sethna as to how her immense mobility during childhood impacted her writing, Khan said the reason she wrote extensively about nomads in her books was because she identified herself as a nomad. “I had this urge to keep moving and it made way into my books.”

Describing how her fiction work differs from non-fiction, Khan analogised that in the case of the former, she felt herself driving the car, but very soon she would find herself in the passenger seat and her characters would be driving the plot, whereas in the latter case, she found herself perpetually in the driver’s seat and in control of her plot.

Interestingly, a member from the audience also asked her whether she would like to commercialise Thinner than Skin into a movie, but Khan laughed it off. – Text by Fatema Imani

6:25 pm

Visitors at the book stall. – Photo by Aliraza Khatri

6:15 pm Book Launch: The Prisoner by Omar Shahid Hamid

If Bollywood would come knocking, I would have Nana Patekar or Nawazuddin Siddiqui play the role of Akbar Khan and Constantine but there would definitely be an item number by Kareena Kapoor! – Omar Shahid Hamid

6:15 pm Book Launch: The Prisoner by Omar Shahid Hamid

The character of Akbar Khan is based on Chaudhry Aslam. – Omar Shahid Hamid

Omar Shahid Hamid (L) with moderator, Bina Shah. – Photo by Asif Umar

6:10 pm Book Launch: The Prisoner by Omar Shahid Hamid

The Prisoner was a cathartic exercise which snowballed into a book. – Omar Shahid Hamid

6:05 pm Book Launch: The Prisoner by Omar Shahid Hamid

We (police) are a very closeted world and most outsiders do not have access to us. The reason I wrote the book is because most on the force don't have the time to write it all out. – Omar Shahid Hamid

6:05 pm Chulbuk Chori: A Play by Thespianz Theatre

A scene from the play. – Photo by Aliraza Khatri

5:38 pm Thinner than Skin: In Conversation with Uzma Aslam Khan

When I am writing, I don't assign qualities to the characters in my books. – Uzma Aslam Khan

Uzma Aslam Khan. – Photo by Aliraza Khatri

5:37 pm Book Launch: The Prisoner by Omar Shahid Hamid

Police is ultimately a reflection of the society it comes from because they are not isolated, like the army, they grow from within the social structure. – Omar Shahid Hamid

5:35 pm Book Launch: The Prisoner by Omar Shahid Hamid

When we joined the police force this (dealing with extremism and terrorism) is not what we thought the job would entail. These are exceptional circumstances that we have been thrown into. You could get the London Metropolitan and they would struggle with it as well. The situation needs to change (police force needs more support) because we are not equipped to handle this. – Omar Shahid Hamid

5:32 pm Aap Beeti, Jag Beeti: Khwateen aur Khudnavisht

A session on women’s autobiographies, Aap Beeti, Jag Beeti: Khwateen aur Khudnavisht was held towards the end of the second day of the KLF. The speakers at the session included renowned writers Kishwar Naheed, Azra Abbas, Sheen Farrukh, and Attiya Dawood.

After a brief introduction of the speakers, the conversation moved to poet, writer and activist, Attiya Dawood and her autobiography Aine Ke Samne. She said that the consequences of writing one’s own autobiography deserve to be turned into a sequel.

The only worry that she had was how her husband and daughters would react to her autobiography.

For Dawood, writing the autobiography was one of the most difficult phases of her life as she was forced to relive numerous painful memories.

Moreover, Dawood also talked about various peoples' perceptions towards her autobiography, and how they perceived women in a number of different ways.

From there, the conversation moved on to poet Azra Abbas’s autobiographical narrative Mera Bachpan, where the focus was on the representation of several taboos in our society. She said that the restraints upon her freedom during her youth took her back to the freer days of her childhood.

The conversation, and its focus, moved to writer, journalist and activist, Sheen Farrukh’s positivity towards the people in her autobiography Jeene Ka Jurm. Farrukh said that it was the economic empowerment she had attained, which became her crime. In addition, she read out some excerpts from her autobiography.

Kishwar Naheed’s autobiography Buri Aurat Ki Katha was next on the list. She talked about how her autobiography’s title generated quite a bit of curiosity over who the Buri Aurat was, as well as certain sections of her book being censored at the time of publication within Pakistan.

After each speaker had spoken, a discussion on the question of considering autobiography as literary text, and by extension, on making female autobiography a part of the canon of autobiographical texts. -

5:00 pm Challenges faced by Art Galleries

Zohra Hussain (L) with Quddus Mirza. – Photo by Asif Umar

5:00 pm

A glimpse of the 'Rang and Qalam' area at Karachi Literature Festival arranged by HBL. – Photo by Aliraza Khatri

A glimpse of the 'Rang and Qalam' area at Karachi Literature Festival arranged by HBL. – Photo by Aliraza Khatri

4:50 pm Shaping Societal Norms: The Role of Textbooks

Our education system does not encourage critical thinking, nor do we support secularism or aim to enlighten our students by expanding our curriculum to include pluralism. This was the underlying argument during a session titled 'Shaping societal norms: The role of textbooks.’

Throughout history, we have seen that education is the reproduction of the dominant ideologies of the region at the time, said Lahore-based independent researcher Rubina Saigol.

In Pakistan, during the 1950s, textbooks did not have the glaring anti-India ideology that exists in them today. Rather, Ram and Buddha were praised for their contributions to society. It was after 1965 that the textbooks started looking inward and its teaching became more about disseminating knowledge to legitimise the ideology of those in power, Saigol added, referring to the extremist elements in society.

Young Pakistanis have been taught that the British are 'tricksters', Hindus are 'inherently evil', Sikhs are 'knife welding butchers or murderers' while the Jews are greedy like the character of 'Shylock' - depicted in a well-known Shakespeare play Merchant of Venice. The Bengalis are mentioned mostly as "back stabbers" with their history narrated either as half-truths or full lies, Saigol concluded.

Educationist and co-founder of Lahore Grammar School, Samina Rahman, spoke of a recent example which left many in the audience surprised. A branch of LGS was served notices by the provincial government for teaching the chapter on reproduction in Biology class to children whose minds are 'too impressionable'.

The school’s administration was further being penalised for teaching comparative religions. "We were told the beliefs of students were being polluted by teaching them about other religions," Rahman said.

Retired professor of Quaid-i-Azam University A H Nayyar said the current textbooks, especially those used in public schools, unnecessarily create religious divides by showing one religion as better and the rest 'false'. "We do not create empathy for diversity but above all we do not increase the learning skill of students," Nayyar said trying to reinforce Rahman’s point of enlightening students by teaching them about all religions and cultures.

Quoting a recent Pew survey which asked students in Pakistan if they wanted Shariah enforced in the country, renowned nuclear scientist and distinguished professor of Physics and Mathematics at FC College Lahore, Pervez Hoodbhoy said 87 per cent responded with 'yes'.

"The reason we fail to confront terrorism with a religious face is because these textbooks, over time, have ingrained these (single-minded) ideologies in them," he said. – Text by Mahnoor Sherazee

4:15 pm Chashm-e-Tamasha:Readings and Conversation with Amjad Islam Amjad

Amjad Islam Amjad (L) with moderator, Muhammad Ahmed Shah. – Photo by Aliraza Khatri

3:50 pm Shaping Societal Norms: The Role of Textbooks

From L to R: Samira Rahman, Rubina Saigol, A.H. Nayyar, Ameena Saiyid (moderator), and Pervez Hoodbhoy. – Photo by Taahira Booya

3:47 pm Shaping Societal Norms: The Role of Textbooks

Textbooks do not create empathy for diversity or awareness of human rights. They create boundaries between cultures and prove that one religion is better than the other. – A.H. Nayyar

3:34 pm The Pakistani Novel in English: International Representation and Local Reception

The second half of Karachi Literature Festival’s second day began with some more sessions, of which one was The Pakistani Novel in English: International Representation and Local Reception. Moderated by scholar and critic Madeline Clements, the session’s panel consisted of eminent writers Uzma Aslam Khan, H.M. Naqvi, Shandana Minhas, and Bina Shah.

After a brief introduction to the session’s topic and its panelists, the conversation moved to Khan. In her speech, she said that her characters are her primary audience. She further said that she only represents a certain eight-year-old girl, not all of them.

Furthermore, Pakistani readers are more likely to read novels in English that have garnered publicity abroad, Khan said. Also, she added, the readers then get angry about a novel’s representation of Pakistan as it deviates from the readers’ own ideas about Pakistan, without realising that their ideas are essentially subjective, and cannot be applied to others.

Bina Shah talked about her writing career and the journey her bibliography encompasses. She noted that after her book Slum Child came out, she experienced angry confrontations from members of a book club who said that Pakistani society treats its minorities very well, and alleged that Shah had misrepresented Pakistani society in her book. This came across as an eye-opener to Shah, and made her realise how different people have varying ideas of what is the truth.

H.M. Naqvi raised questions about whether or not authors like Ian McEwan and Martin Amis accurately represent their respective countries. He further said that such treatment is usually meted out to Pakistanis and other writers from various countries.

Shandana Minhas, in response to the topic, said there is indeed an element of animosity amongst the readers, which is directed towards the author. Yet, it does not mean that there is any malice. – Text by Soonha Abro

3:25 pm Musical Performance and Workshop by Asif Sinan

Asif Sinan. – Photo by Aliraza Khatri

3:15 pm The Pakistani Novel in English: International Representation and Local Reception

H.M. Naqvi, Shandana Minhas, Madeline Clements (moderator), Bina Shah and Uzma Aslam Khan. – Photo by Aliraza Khatri

2:55 pm Dehshat Gardi aur Hamari Kahaniyan: In Conversation with Asif Farrukhi, Intizar Husain and Arfa Sayeda Zehra

Another important session on the issue of terrorism and literature was held on the second day at the Karachi Literature Festival.

The session’s moderator Masood Ashar said Pakistan is facing the menace of terrorism that has gradually shaped into an organised institution.

Meanwhile, eminent novelist Intizar Husain said there are many aspects of truth and realities and everyone should respect different realities as it was the only way to fight against extremism.

A new book named ‘Ungli Maala’ (fingers necklace) was also discussed in the session as it had been inspired by an old Buddhism story.

Arfa Zehra said terror and hate is going to destroy the fabric of society.

All the panelists in the session agreed that very little has been reflected in Urdu literature about terrorism and extremism in Pakistan. – Text by Suhail Yousuf

From L to R: Moderator, Masood Ashar, Asif Farrukhi, Intizar Husain and Arfa Sayeda Zehra. – Photo by Quratulain Choudhry

3:00 pm

– Photo by Muhammad Umar

2:50 pm New Voices in Sindhi Poetry

During the session “New voices in Sindhi Poetry”, moderator Amar Sindhu presented two promising female poets Rukhsana Preet and Rubina Abro.

Rukhsana Preet said the literary atmosphere of her home was the reason she took to poetry and literature, as it inspired her to write in order to express her feelings.

She said whenever a woman expresses herself using poetry and literature, the society attempts to pry into her personal life rather than her creative work.

Both the poets presented their poetry in the session which was greatly appreciated by the audience. – Text by Suhail Yousuf

Rubina Abro, Amar Sindhu (moderator) and Rukhsana Preet. – Photo by Quratulain Choudhry

#KLF2014 #Karachi Literature Festival: Events to present another image of #Pakistan other than the one of terror & terror politics.

— Zubair Torwali (@zubairtorwali) February 8, 2014

2:40 pm Pakistani Nationalism: The Extremist Threat

"It is often said that the two-nation theory failed," said Javed Jabbar while speaking at a session titled Pakistani Nationalism: The Extremist Threat.

"Pakistani state was unable to adopt the diversity and pluralistic population" he explains adding that “it is not the two-nation theory that failed rather the two-state theory that did.”

Pakistan has faced very strong opposition to its existence and now there is something emerging that is Pakistaniat, and whether for good or bad, religion plays a role in it, Jabbar, the moderator of the session, added.

Taking the discussion forward, well know analyst Syed Jaffar Ahmed said, "Pakistani identity has to be modern, liberal and secular but so far it has been unable to create such an identity."

Saying the country has been "hijacked the by Taliban", Ahmed said that the people, Parliament and political forces have been marginalised making the country very vulnerable. He urged the people to understand that is only through genuine democratic process and ensuring a secular society that Pakistan could prosper.

Journalist Mohsin Babbar, also on the panel for discussion, spoke in detail about the layers of nationalism in Sindh. "It starts with Sindhi feeling a sense of nationalism first with their community, then with the rest of the Sindhi population and then with Pakistan."

To understand the problem and find a proper solution and change mindsets, Babbar said nationalism will have to been seen in the geographical context as well. – Text by Mahnoor Sherazee

#KLF2014:nothing like listening to such great minds while being in the company of amazing people, all in 1 place! Loving #karachi right now!

— Arsla Jawaid (@arslajawaid) February 8, 2014

2:00 pm Book Launch: Punjab: A History from Aurangzeb to Mountbatten by Rajmohan Gandhi

Dr Rajmohan Gandhi spoke about his book 'Punjab: A history from Aurangzeb to Mountbatten' during the book launch session and added that the purpose was not to disapprove or prove anything, but only to state how things were.

He said the book started with the decline of the Muslim Mughal rule, following the demise of Aurangzeb in 1707 to the Sikh rule in Punjab which led to the British taking over only to conclude during separation.

When asked about the state of Muslims during the era of Ranjeet Sindh, Dr Gandhi said his findings had revealed that the Sikh rule was tolerant towards Muslims, but it did not mean that everyone enjoyed equal rights.

He moreover cited the examples of restrictions imposed on Azaan and the slaughter of cows in Punjab.

However, the rule could not be described as downright oppressive because Ranjeet controlled many areas of Punjab indirectly through the use of vassals, who were Muslims in the Muslim majority areas. These vassals also enjoyed a degree of autonomy.

Meanwhile, discussing how Sikhs were able to rule Punjab despite being a minority, Dr Gandhi said even though Muslims were very religious, the Sikhs could relate their religion more to Punjab because of the language factor.

Talking about the divide and rule policy of the British, he said it had rendered the British Army, which included swathes of local soldiers, as useless as they were and failed to stop the killings which occurred during partition in huge proportions.

Over half of the sub-continental soldiers who participated in World War I with the British Army belonged to Punjab.

He completed his session with the quote that Punjabis and Punjabiat overcame the madness as the Punjabis protecting Punjabis (Hindus and Muslims) really outnumbered the Punjabis killing Punjabis. – Text by Hammad Ahmed Abbasi

1:49 pm New Voices in Sindhi Poetry

After much of the work in Sindhi poetry there is a challenge for new poets to raise the bar further. – Amr Sindhu

1:45 pm Qawwali Music and the Sufi Poetry Tradition: A Presentation by Mahmood Jamal

Moderator, Sarwat Mohiuddin. – Photo by Aliraza Khatri

One of the morning’s last sessions was the Qawaali Music and the Sufi Poetry Tradition: A Presentation by Mahmood Jamal. The session was moderated by the well-known poet and prose writer of the Punjabi and Urdu languages, Sarwat Mohiuddin. The speaker, Mahmood Jamal, is a eminent poet and filmmaker with a long connection with the Qawwali. He is based in London.

He began by relating the history of Qawwali, in which he talked about the mehfil-e-sama. This gave birth to Qawwali. He added that it was Hazrat Ameer Khusro who went on to become an icon of Qawwali music.

Jamal further said that there have been numerous controversies over the centuries in the history of Qawaali. He added that music theorists looked down upon this genre.

Mohiuddin went on to add that Khawaja Mohiuddin Chishty came to the Indian sub-continent in 1191 and was compelled to spread the message of Islam through the Hindu traditions of music in the sub-continent.

Jamal countered this by saying that the musical traditions of Turkey and surrounding regions influenced the devotional music of the sub-continent. He further said that the Qawwali music has spiritual influence. In the past, Jamal added, Qawwalis were mostly written in Farsi/Persian.

Mohiuddin also said that it is actually the rhythm influences the listener, having transcended the boundaries of language. She then asked Jamal about his thoughts on the current changes and their possible effects occurring in the Qawwali music at present time. He replied that Qawaali has moved on to more secular spaces like the television. Now people listen to it more for entertainment purposes, even though the spiritual aspects are the same owing to no changes in the rhythms of Qawwali music, Jamal added.

The discussion also expounded upon the subject of love within Qawwali music and Sufi poetry.

As a part of the presentation, a number of Qawwali soundtracks were also played to the audience so that one may, in Jamal’s own words, learn in a new way something that one already knows. – Text by Soonha Abro

1:40 pm Historic Adversaries, Modern Partners

Unlike Europe, we hide from history . We do not try to understand it – Gazi Salahuddin

1:25 pm Historic Adversaries, Modern Partners

From L to R: Gazi Salahuddin, Thomas Brussig, Amin Hashwani, Tilo Klinner and Zafar Hilaly. – Photo by Taahira Booya

1:25 pm Historic Adversaries, Modern Partners

The India Pakistan crisis is something that can only be understood by writers and not diplomats because essentially it's a human crisis of so many dimensions. – Gazi Salahuddin

1:15 pm Pakistani Nationalism: The Extremist Threat

From L to R: Moderator, Javed Jabbar, Syed Jaffar Ahmed and Mohsin Babbar. – Photo by Quratulain Choudhry

1:10 pm In Conversation with Kamila Shamsie

Moderator, Maryam Wasif Khan (L) with Kamila Shamsie. – Photo by Asif Umar

1:00 pm Book Launch: Delhi by Heart: Impressions of a Pakistani Traveller by Raza Rumi

Raza Rumi (L) with Moderator, Asif Noorani. – Photo by Quratulain Choudhry

In a very open and light hearted discussion on his book Delhi by Heart: Impressions of a Pakistani Traveller, Raza Rumi spoke about the composite culture between India and Pakistan.

Kicking off the session, which started a tad bit late, moderator Asif Noorani asked Rumi why he chose to write on Delhi and not perhaps Lucknow instead. To this Rumi humorously replied that Delhi is where he managed to get the visa for.

Speaking about his book, Rumi explained why he chose this particular aspect. "I have read a great deal on the Sultans and the Mughals but not much about the peoples' history which is what he was interested in and wrote about," said Rumi to a packed room.

Many Pakistanis are ingrained with the notion that India and Indians are the enemy. But there is a great deal on common, he said adding, that we need to appreciate the secular society in India. "There is a pluralistic legacy there (in India) which has been brutally killed in Pakistan. Seeing these religions and cultures mix harmoniously makes us wonder that once we too must have lived like this (before partition). – Text by Mahnoor Sherazee

12:44 am Voices, Older and Younger: Poetry in English

Another session of the day was a poetry seminar titled Voices, Older and Younger: Poetry in English. The panelists were Salman Tarik Kureshi, Ilona Yusuf, Shireen Haroun, Bilal Hamid, Moeen Faruqi, and Farida Faizullah, all of them poets. The session was moderated by Shahnaz Ahsanudin, a prominent educationist who has spent much of her career teaching English Literature.

Ahsanuddin started the poem by introducing all the speakers, and asked them what constitutes a poem, it is just a combination of rhythm and rhyme or is it something more complex, intellectual, and emotional experience that has been encapsulated in words by the poet.

The conversation then moved on to recitations by each of the poets on the panel, which were followed by the poets speaking on their respective processes of creation, of their influences, of their experiences that inform their writing.

Bilal Hamid said that poetry enables one to jump from one place in the universe to another.

Seeing Faizullah read out her poems off a number of pages typed in Braille was a true inspiration for the audience.

Next, Shireen Haroun read her poems that appeared to have been heavily inspired from Nature. However, this observation on the audience’s part was dispelled when Haroun admitted that actually she is not an outdoorsy person, and that her poems were mainly philosophical.

Ilona Yusuf, another poet on the panel, joined the discussion at this point and added that she found Haroun’s poems quite graphic. To this, Haroun replied that the element of Nature in her poems probably comes through her surroundings, which include a number of pets and a large garden, apart from what she has read about Nature.

Regarding a question about whether the poets’ respective acts of writing a poem involve a struggle, Haroun said that the strange thing about poetry is that one gets an idea and writes a poem. But a few weeks later, one realises that the poem one has written is awful. However, there are some occasions when certain poems simply seem to flow out of you.

In connection to the same question, artist and poet Moeen Faruqi replied that he is primarily a painter. Further explaining his technique, Faruqi said that he mainly uses visual imagery, while leaving the whole business of interpretation up to the reader.

Poet and writer Salman Tarik Kureshi said that his process of writing poetry is more exacting than it is painful.

Regarding getting ideas in the middle of the night, Ilona Yusuf replied that she usually jots down some notes or verses in a notebook that she keeps on her bedside table. – Text by Soonha Abro

From L to R: Salman Tarik Kureshi, IIona Yusuf, Shahnaz Ahsanuddin (moderator), Farida Faizullah, Shireen Haroun, Moeen Faruqi and Bilal Hamid. – Photo by Taahira Booya

12:28 am Contemporary Fiction at Home and the Diaspora

The second day of the Karachi Literature Festival kickstarted with a varied range of sessions. One of these was the Contemporary Fiction at the Home and the Diaspora. Its speakers were Moni Mohsin, Muneeza Shamsie, Nikita Lalwani, and Nikesh Shukla. The session was moderated by Salman Tarik Kureshi.

Kureshi started the event by introducing all speakers, and asking them that were home and the diaspora really two, very different spaces, or were they two parts of the same space. While expounding upon this question, the discussion soon moved on to other issues that are also a part of the topic of the discussion.

Shamsie, an eminent Karachi-based critic, editor, and author, said that amongst the critics there have been allegations of the English language resulting in an elitist form of writing. Furthermore, she said that the diaspora has enabled working-class literature to emerge.

Shukla, a British writer of Indian descent, raised an interesting question that whether a diasporic literary text is perceived as a book about being South Asian, or does the book just happens to be about a person who has South Asian origins.

Regarding the connection of home and the diaspora in the writers’ works, Shukla said that he actually enjoys having a nice, rich palette of material to choose from for his writing.

In response to the same question, the well-known Moni Mohsin added that foreign publishers expect South Asian writers to write sari-donning women with kohl in their eyes, as well as mangoes and other items that they find exotic. Similarly, Shukla added that the publishers abroad do not think about the book itself, but merely about which category to put these books in.

Shamsie asked her fellow speakers about how being at home and being abroad affects their writing process. In response to this question, Mohsin talked about her experience of writing her book The End of Innocence. She said that being a member of the Pakistani diaspora in Britain did not inhibit her during the writing of Innocence. In fact, she added, her writing continued to flow from her previous works. Furthermore, she has found that once she has gathered all her materials, she finds it easier to write from a distance as it allows her a certain objectivity.

Lalwani, another British writer of Indian descent, responded to Shamsie’s question by raising a pertinent question about how each person has a completely different definition of the word ‘home’ based on their various backgrounds and lives. She also said that the word ‘home’ has a emotional connotation, but the word ‘diaspora’ does not. – Text by Soonha Abro

11:55 am Teesray Pehr ki Kahaniyan: Readings and Conversations with Asad Muhammad Khan

Asad Muhammad Khan (L) with Asif Farrukhi. – Photo by Aliraza Khatri

11:50 am The Simurgh and the Birds translated by Fahmida Riaz

Moderator, Fahmida Riaz (L) with Amra Alam. – Photo by Aliraza Khatri

11:45 am Book Launch: Punjab: A History from Aurangzeb to Mountbatten by Rajmohan Gandhi

There were two main black marks which allowed the effective rule of the British in the sub-continent. The first was the clear underlying meaning that the ruling race was superior than the race being ruled. And this is one way how they manage, which in many ways is an impressive rule. – Dr Rajmohan Gandhi

11:45 am Book Launch: Punjab: A History from Aurangzeb to Mountbatten by Rajmohan Gandhi

The second black mark on their imperial architecture was by managing to divide the Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs and keep them separate. – Dr Rajmohan Gandhi

11:44 am Book Launch: Punjab: A History from Aurangzeb to Mountbatten by Rajmohan Gandhi

Moderator, Raza Rumi, with Dr Rajmohan Gandhi. – Photo by Asif Umar

11:30 am Voices, Older and Younger: Poetry in English

When we talk about poetry we are talking about a complex, emotional experience captured in words - it involves a struggle for the poet. – Shahnaz Ahsanuddin

11:25 am Voices, Older and Younger: Poetry in English

The poet is somewhat an artist - he chooses his words and images . He needs skills to manage the words he wants to use to reach the reader. – Shahnaz Ahsanuddin

11:15 am The Goal of Higher Education: Creating Professionals or Scholars?

The teaching of submission and restriction at the primary level is the antithesis of (mindset required) for research and investigation itself. – Pervez Hoodbhoy

11:15 am The Goal of Higher Education: Creating Professionals or Scholars?

There is no invention of modern science that can be attributed to Muslims and it is not for lack of money. Look at Saudia Arabia they spend so much on education and they produce exactly zero. – Pervez Hoodbhoy

11:10 Qalam sey Awaz Tak: Readings and Conversation with Raza Ali Abidi

From L to R: Ghazi Salahuddin, Raza Ali Abidi, Khurram Suhail. – Photo by Asif Umar

11:10 am The Goal of Higher Education: Creating Professionals or Scholars?

The habit of research starts from Class 1. – Zubaida Jalal

11:10 am The Goal of Higher Education: Creating Professionals or Scholars?

We need to have trained and accomplished teachers especially for primary education to help strengthen the foundation of our children's education. – Zubaida Jalal

11:05 am The Goal of Higher Education: Creating Professionals or Scholars?

Very few perhaps only five, 10 or 15 per cent of the students will prefer to go towards become scholars. – Ishrat Husain

11:05 am Book Launch: The Scatter Here is Too Great by Bilal Tanweer

Moderator, Ali Sethi (L), with Bilal Tanweer. – Photo by Aliraza Khatri

11:05 am The Goal of Higher Education: Creating Professionals or Scholars?

There is a proliferation of college and universities who are doing more damage in society than helping us meet our societal needs. We have a high number of quacks. For example medical bodies have failed to regulate the standard of doctors being produced. – Ishrat Husain

11:00 am The Goal of Higher Education: Creating Professionals or Scholars?

We need to take a closer look at the importance of scholars as well as professionals. They both serve separate purposes. Professionals meet societal and economic needs while scholars do not care about making a name for themselves. The success of any research is not a guarantee but is a very different kind of information. – Ishrat Husain

10:50 am Puppet Show by Ritz Theatre

Children enjoying the Puppet Show organised by Ritz Theatre. – Photo by Mahjabeen Mankani

10:45 am The Goal of Higher Education: Creating Professionals or Scholars?

From L to R: Ishrat Husain, Ismat Riaz, Pervez Hoodbhoy and Abbas Rashid. – Photo by Taahira Booya

10:42 am Apni Beyaz say: Zehra Nigah

Beeti jo taqdeer nahin thi, bachon ne jo dekha nahin tha, kis tarha karein dor-e-aseeri ki shikayat, chupne ka irada toh hamara bhi nahin tha. - Zehra Nigah

Zehra Nigah. – Photo by Aliraza Khatri

10:35 am Apni Beyaz say: Zehra Nigah

Zehra Nigah reading classical poetry in her session, which was immensely enjoyed by the audience.

10:34 am The Goal of Higher Education

What worries me in Pakistan is that the quality of competency is decreasing with time than increasing.- Pervez Hoodbhoy

10:31 am The Goal of Higher Education

We have so many PhDs and so many doctors coming out from our universities but how much do they really know? What do we do when we have so many fake notes in circulation especially when they exceed the genuine ones? Pervez Hoodbhoy – Speaking about low quality and standards of education

10:24 Puppet Show Children are being adequately entertained at the Puppet Show with loud, merry songs.

#KLF2014 #Karachi #literature festival! What excitement. Even when things are bad,we still fight so hard. #lovepakistan #pakistanneedsunity

— Anoushey Ashraf (@Anoushey_a) February 7, 2014

10:20 am

Come listen to Omar Shahid Hamid, author of The Prisoner, in conversation with me at KLF today, 4 pm. #klf @KarachiLitFest

— Bina Shah (@BinaShah) February 8, 2014

10:17 am

Off to the Karachi Literature Festival- yesterday's panel with Tina Sani, Zeb, Sarmad Khoisan and Ali Sethi was excellent! #KLF2014

— Zoe Viccaji (@Zoeviccaji) February 8, 2014

10:00 am It's a chilly morning on the second day of the fifth Karachi Literature Festival at Beach Luxury Hotel. The crowd turnout is a little low with MQM’s call for a day of mourning but we are hoping it will pick up. Stay tuned with Dawn.com for updates of the event throughout the day.

Karachi Literature Festival | 7th, 8th & 9th February | Beach Luxury Hotel

7:35 pm Closing Ceremony The 5th Karachi Literature Festival draws to a close after three days of discussions, readings, debates and book launches.

"Tomorrow the tents and chairs (spread across the venue of the festival) will be removed but I believe the ideas, arguments and views shared at the KLF will remain and generate a wave of fresh ideas and discussions," said Ameena Saiyid, one of the directors of KLF.

On the close connection between literature and society, Saiyid said: "Ideas matter, books matter and above all readers matter."

According to estimates around 70,000 people attended the KLF this year compared to the 50,000 last year.

Appreciating the large crowds and participants of the festival, investment banker for a private bank sponsoring the event, Aman Aziz Siddiqui, said: "Performing artists perform best when they have an appreciative audience."

One of the keynote speakers for the closing ceremony, writer Kamila Shamsie, spoke on the importance of translation of books while appreciating local readership.

"While I sell more books in England, it is true that if I sell 10,000 books there, perhaps 10 people will come and talk to me about it but if I sell just 10 books here, 12 people will talk to me about it," she said.

The second keynote speaker for the ceremony Raza Ali Abidi thanked Saiyid and co-director of KLF Asif Farrukhi for their efforts and encouraged the new trend of literature that started through the festival.

"What is particularly heartwarming is the attendance of young children holding their parents’ hands and enjoying the various aspects of the festival. This is indicative of the fact that whether or not we are always around, the festival will continue," Abidi concluded. – Text by Mahnoor Sherazee

7:20 pm Closing Ceremony

From L to R: Aman Aziz Siddiqui, Kamila Shamsie, Asif Furrukhi, Ameena Saiyid and Raza Ali Abidi. – Photo by Muhammad Umar

"Let us not try and change other let's take the first step and be the change we want to be" Aman Aziz Siddiqui, #HBL head of strategy #KLF

— AR Rafiq (@arrafiq) February 9, 2014

6:15 pm The Political Pen: Art of the Political Cartoon One of the very last sessions of the KLF was The Political Pen: Art of the Political Cartoon, moderated by Niilofur Farrukh. Its speakers were artists Khuda Bux Abro and Fauzia Minallah.

After brief introductions by Farrukh, Abro started the conversation with a brief outline of career that had started from his hometown of Hyderabad. In Lahore, while studying at NCA, he made cartoons for magazines Viewpoint and Dhanak. He also talked about his involvement in political movements. His time at NCA coincided with Ziaul Haq’s era, the emergence of Women’s Action Forum (WAF), and the movement within the NCA for converting the diploma to a college degree.

The conversation moved to Minallah, who considers herself a nomad in the field of art. In response to a question by the moderator, she then talked a bit about her time spent drawing political cartoons in the editorial section of the newspapers.

In response to the same question, Abro spoke about how he found it easier because he spent much of his career making political cartoons with his likeminded editors for Dawn and its affliated magazines.

He further said that the advent of social media and blogging websites like Flickr has immensely helped to increase the outreach of political cartoons and other artworks to the wider public, both locally and internationally.

Minallah agreed to some extent with her fellow panelist and further emphasised the great help social media has given to artists, cartoonists, and other creative professionals. She added that she enjoys deflating inflated egos of the famous people in her cartoons.

Abro, in response to a question regarding his choice of mediums, said that he uses any medium he wants to use, and believes it to be pertinent towards the main theme of the cartoon. This has allowed him to develop his own style in cartoons and other illustrations.

Afterwards, a presentation of Abro’s works was shown, followed by an animated video by Minallah. The audience enjoyed the two immensely, laughing and applauding at the hidden jokes in Abro’s illustrations and cartoons, as well as at Minallah’s cartoons.

She later shared a film she made about the Election 2013 called Election Diary that was full of numerous images that evoked many memories of the past eventful year, and of the years before last.

The session ended with a lively Q&A session and a resounding applause by the audience for the session moderator and the two immensely talented, observant, and prolific panelists of the session.

Thus, the sessions of KLF’s last day come to a close.

6:10 pm

Visitors at the book stall. – Photo by Aliraza Khatri

6:07 pm Book Launch: Intikhab-e-Kalam: Parveen Shakir

Amjad Islam Amjad with Fatema Hassan (moderator). – Photo by Muhammad Umar

6:03 pm In Conversation with Mohammed Hanif What is it about Mohammed Hanif that his sessions at KLF are packed to full capacity despite his repeated appearances at the event? It is definitely his wicked sense of humour as well as languid ease. His disregard for fine conventions while talking during sessions makes him one of the most anticipated speakers at KLF.

The critically acclaimed writer of "The Case of Exploding Mangoes" and "Our Lady in Alice Bhatti" was at his best today in the session “In Conversation with Mohammed Hanif” which was moderated by Alia Naqvi.

Someone from the audience commented on how his pieces on Karachi were greatly enjoyed and questioned as to what was his pull towards the city?

Hanif answered that he was raised here, found his first job, adding that “It is Altaf bhai’s city” amidst chuckles from the audience.

One of the members from the audience went a step forward and asked him as to what would be his three demands if he was one of the Pakistani Taliban’s negotiators for peace talks with the government’s representatives.

Hanif said elders should be allowed to talk amongst themselves and that he was not one for dialogue.

Responding to whether he would translate his works in regional languages, Hanif said his friend was already translating “The Case of Exploding Mangoes” in Urdu and that it would be published by the end of the year.

He moreover said “regional languages” was a rather derogatory term, adding that Punjabi and Sindhi are “our languages” whereas English is a regional language because “it is spoken by people in Defence and Clifton.”

A lady from the audience, who identified herself as a Christian because she had been brought up in a Convent school, said Hanif’s portrayal of a Christian nurse in Our Lady of Alice Bhatti was rather incorrect and asked him why he wrote about something that he didn't quite have a grasp of.

“Writing is a personal, intimate experience and writers write about what nobody else is privy to,” Hanif answered. – Text by Fatema Imani

6:03 pm Film Screenings: Humaira: The Dream Catcher & Ho Yaqeen: Syeda Fatima by Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy

Not everyone can be a change maker but we can support those who are. - Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy

6:02 pm Film Screenings: Humaira:The Dream Catcher & Ho Yaqeen: Syeda Fatima by Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy

I want a world, a Pakistan where my daughter can grow up with opportunities for herself. – Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy

6:00 pm Film Screenings: Humaira: The Dream Catcher & Ho Yaqeen: Syeda Fatima by Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy

Pakistan's biggest assets are its women. – Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy

5:59 pm Film Screenings: Humaira:The Dream Catcher & Ho Yaqeen: Syeda Fatima by Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy

Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy (L) with Bina Shah (moderator). – Photo by Asif Umar

5:55 pm The Flux of History

Understanding and studying history helps in other fields and aspects of life. Because it is constantly evolving it teaches us to accept, and not resist, evolution and keep moving forward. – Sarah Ansari

5:52 pm The Flux of History

The importance of history is that it helps us recognise, accept and transform society…as the one constant of history is that it is not static. – Mubarak Ali

5:52 pm The Flux of History

From L to R: Rasul Baksh Rais (moderator), Mubarak Ali and Sarah Ansari. – Photo by Asif Umar

5:49 pm Readings and Conversation with Amar Jaleel

Moderator, Shah Muhammad Pirzada (L) with Amar Jaleel. – Photo by Asif Umar

5:40 pm

Karachi Literature Festival is packed with visitors. – Photo by Aliraza Khatri

5:33 pm Book Launch: Intikhab-e-Kalam:Parveen Shakir

Parveen Shakir was always eager to learn. – Amjad Islam Amjad

5:18 pm Jerusalem: A Journey Back in Time (History through images): A Talk by Ifthikar Salahuddin

Iftikhar Salahuddin. – Photo by Muhammad Umar

Muhammad Haneef: So a fiction writer is just like Nawaz Shareef. Promising something which isn't true #klf #KhiLF #klf2014

— Ali Hassan (@enspec) February 9, 2014

Muhammad Haneef: Writing a novel is like telling a lie with a straight face #klf #KhiLF #klf2014 pic.twitter.com/qjgccMk1ZW

— Ali Hassan (@enspec) February 9, 2014

Books. Book launches. INTERACTION WITH THE WRITERS. Witty Conversations. Food. You are missing something if you haven't visited it yet. #klf

— Miss Ridx (@MissRidx) February 9, 2014

4:53 pm Wapsi ka Safar: Readings and Conversation with Abdullah Hussain and Launch of Jubilee Edition of Udas Naslain

Renowned novelist and short story writer, Abdullah Hussain, said his first novel 'Udas Naslain' was initially a short love story but over a period of time it turned into an epic novel.

Abdullah Hussain confessed that he accidentally turned into a novelist as he had enough time while he was working at a cement factory at Daud Khel near Mianwali.

Hussain said one of his short stories was filmed when he was in London. He actually wrote about the miseries and problems faced by illegal immigrants in UK. The name of the film was ‘Brothers in trouble’ and originally written as ‘Wapsi ka Safar’ (The way to back home).

Talking about one of his most popular novels ‘ Udas Naslain,’ Hussain said, "I tried my best to get the eyewitness account for every situation in the plot."

He added that he "even travelled so far to see a Pakistani sepoy who fought in the First World War and got the highest Victoria cross award from England."

Moderator of the session, Mohammad Ahmad Shah, said the the novel ‘ Udas Naslain’ is being taught at several international universities like Turkey, US and Norway. – Text by Suhail Yusuf

4:52 pm In Conversation with Mohammed Hanif

Aliya Iqbal Naqvi with Mohammed Hanif. – Photo by Asif Umar

Glad to see Sir Zia Mohyeddin with same charm and provoking personality at #KLF http://t.co/wSK48gDfqj via @Dawn_News

— Umar Khan (@MUmar_Khan) February 9, 2014

4:45 pm Talking about Sufism

In Sufism, death is a union with the beloved, the almighty Allah. That is why the death anniversary of all the great saints are called Urs, which is derived from a word which means 'wedding'. Their birth is not observed but their departure to the afterlife is celebrated with fervour. – Sarwat Mohiuddin

4:37 pm The US-Pakistan Relationship: Will it Endure? With the US withdrawal from Afghanistan drawing closer, there is a great deal of speculation as to where the US Pakistan ties are heading. In a last minute announcement, organisers of the Karachi Literature Festival announced that US ambassador to Pakistan Richard Olson would partake in the session titled 'The US Pakistan relationship: Will it endure' which was moderated by Dean and Director of Institute of Business Administration Dr Ishrat Husain.

Getting straight into the core of the issue, Husain asked Olson where Pakistan would stand on US strategic interests once American troops were withdrawn from Afghanistan.

While Olson clarified that he did not want to draw parallels between the 1989 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan to the situation present today he said, "We do not want 2014 to be a repeat of the (mistakes of) 1989."

According to Olson, the US has well prepared the 350,000 plus strong Afghan army which he called "the strongest Afghan army there has ever been."

The US has deeply learned from the lessons of 1989 and moving forward would like to focus on a "strong relationship with Pakistan which was independent of Afghanistan."

Switching gears from terrorism to economics, Husain asked Olson about why the US was not focusing more on trade and foreign investment in Pakistan rather than simply aid.

Olson explained that the US was now targeting more economic stability and transition to investment in Pakistan for 2050, by which time Pakistan is projected as the fourth largest country in terms of population.

On present US investments, Olson said besides the economy there is an interest in the energy sector. "The US has added 1,000MW to the national grid through three hydels and one thermal plant over the past few years."

The US is also working closely with the Pakistan government to bring greater investment in development and exploration in energy. In this regard, there is an upcoming meeting between the energy ministers and experts of both countries in Houston.

However, Olson said while Pakistan wants more international investment, globally such measures are followed by domestic investment as well. He pointed that the private sector in Pakistan "is in a good position to do so (follow foreign investment with a domestic one.)

Speaking about greater market access into the US for Pakistani products, Olson said this is an "area we need to work on." – Text by Mahnoor Sherazee

4:33 Shatranj ki Baazi by Zambeel Dramatic Readings

– Photo by Asif Umar

A f'lash mob' is disco deewanaying onstage before @mohammedhanif's talk. Hanif never provoked such reactions before. #KLF

— Hasan Zaidi (@hyzaidi) February 9, 2014

4:04 pm The US-Pakistan Relationship: Will it Endure?

We do not see our relationship with Pakistan as threat to our relationship to India or vice versa. – Richard Olson

3:55 pm The US-Pakistan Relationship: Will it Endure?

The views of America is to respect the territories and choices of each state and that includes Pakistan. – Richard Olson

3:45 pm The US-Pakistan Relationship: Will it Endure?

Richard Olson. – Photo by Asif Umar

3:55 pm Interview with Omar Shahid Hamid

Dawn.com speaks to Omar Shahid Hamid on his book 'The Prisoner'

3:30 pm Selections from the Classics: Readings by Zia Mohyeddin

Zia Mohyeddin. – Photo by Kurt Menezes

3:35 pm In Conversation with Nahid Siddiqui

Nahid Siddiqui (L) with Kamila Shamsie. – Photo by Asif Umar

3:32 pm

Visitors at the puppet show. – Photo by Aliraza Khatri

Somebody just asked Richard Olson what the US reaction would be, if the Pakistan government gives in to TTP's demand for Shariah. Umm. #KLF

— S (@sukaina_ali) February 9, 2014

3:25 pm Ba – Zuban e Qasmi: Reading and Conversation with Ataul Haq Qasmi Amidst laughter in a packed hall, writer, poet and satirist Ata ul Haq Qasmi never stopped sharing happy moments of his life.

Qasmi shared his memories of Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi, Zameer Jaffery, and even of his college life.

"When I was at MAO college, I decided to arrange a 'Mushaira' - poetry sittings in which eminent poets were invited from the subcontinent. I got early permission from the college principal Dilawar Hussain," he said.

The event was the talk of the town and everyone was waiting to attend but few hours before the sitting, Dilawar Hussain refused to use the college premises for the event.

"In the evening, thousands of people gathered outside the gate of the college and were eagerly waiting to enter into the Mushaira. To cool the wrath of the people, I lied that the principal of the college has died and the event has been cancelled," said Qasmi with smile on his face.

Next day he was rusticated from entering the college.

Qasmi was also a diplomat from Pakistan and wrote many drama serials for instance: Khawaja and sons and Sheeda Talli.

He also shared his views about travelling in a plane where an American lady was sitting besides him.

The lady thought he belonged to an Arab state, and asked how many wives he had, upon which Qasmi replied that he had 800.

Then she asked as to how many children he had and Qasmi answered that he had 1100.

She asked: "How can you remember all of them?"

Qasmi responded: "I know my children only by digits and numbers; such as Kid no 822 is very cute and naughty."

The audience was in peals of laughter.

Responding to a question, Qasmi said he is now planning to write a much-awaited travelogue during his next visit to Australia.

At the end of the session, the entire hall resounded with the standing ovation given to Qasmi by the audience. – Text by Suhail Yusuf

3:15 Wapsi ka Safar: Readings and Conversations with Abdullah Hussain and launch of Jubilee edition of Udas Naslain

Abdullah Hussain (L) with Muhammad Ahmed Shah (moderator). – Photo by Aliraza Khatri

3:12 pm Dhoop Kiran – Reading and conversation with Imdad Hussaini Talking about the Urdu work of Hussaini, Fahmida Riaz said: "I felt immense originality in the Urdu poetry of Imdad Hussaini as his poems flowed smoothly and then at the end, his couplets directly touch the heart of the reader."

“Hussaini’s Urdu poetry is just like a cool breeze," said Riaz.

During the sitting, Imdad Hussaini read his poetry as well as poetry from the translated works of Faiz Ahmed Faiz.

Fahmida Riaz also said love is a strong and important part of Urdu poetry which is now being ignored in the recent works of poetry and Imdad Hussaini actually revives that trend in his writing.

Responding to a question regarding Hussaini’s translation of Faiz poetry in Sindhi language, she said it seems that the translation is not merely a translation but an original work of Sindhi poetry.

"He actually recreated Faiz's work and turned it into Sindhi style writing," she added.

Fahmida also told Hussaini that his Urdu book, Dhoop Kinare, should be published in Hindi script so the people belonging to other parts of the subcontinent should read and understand it. – Text by Suhail Yusuf

3:10 pm Fireworks on a Window Pane: Readings and Conversation with Tanveer Anjum

A poet who is unable to comment or express the views and plight of the marginalised people, in my opinion, is not a poet. – Tanveer Anjum

2:50 pm The Tenuous Line between Fiction and Non-Fiction

Framji Minwalla (moderator), Rob Crilly and H.M. Naqvi. – Photo by Aliraza Khatri

2:15 pm Fireworks on a Window Pane: Readings and Conversation with Tanveer Anjum

I don't think I could have created new ideas and used the language as effectively had I written my poetry in English instead of Urdu. I guess you could call it linguistic constraint. – Tanveer Anjum

2:10 pm Fireworks on a Window Pane: Readings and Conversation with Tanveer Anjum

Poetry has always been portrayed as living in a dream world in which we could also enter... – Tanveer Anjum

2:05 pm The Tenuous Line between Fiction and Non-Fiction

As a novelist, I fundamentally lack imagination. I cannot conjure a story out of thin air. I have to rely on reality in a very substantive way. – H.M. Naqvi

2:00 pm The Tenuous Line between Fiction and Non-Fiction

Fiction has to deal with possibilities, truth doesn't. – Rob Crilly

1:34 pm

Visitors from one of the morning sessions. – Photo by Kurt Menezes

1:30 pm Drama and the Small Screen

One of the last morning sessions was Drama and the Small Screen, moderated by the director, actor, playwright and a part-time lecturer, Sarmad Khoosat. The session’s panellists were Haseena Moin and Attiya Dawood, Shakeel, Seema Taher Khan, and Sultana Siddiqui.

After detailed introductions of the speakers, the moderator directed the focus of the session to what can be done to improve Pakistani drama in the future.

The conversation was started with the eminent writer and screenwriter Haseena Moin. She began by a pertinent criticism of the lack of a well-written and well-executed ending. She said this lack of a good ending is not affected by the presence of Indian or Turkish dramas. Furthermore, she said that today Pakistani drama has begun its downfall.

Moin also pointed out the numerous factors that undermine the moral fabric of Pakistani society.

Seema Taher Khan, a leading communications and media person in Karachi, spoke about aiming to empower the society through television drama, particularly women, when she started running a television channel. Similarly, Sultana Siddiqui, another leading media person, said that when she opened her channel Hum TV, she had a certain vision.

Shakeel, a senior and eminent actor in the showbiz industry, related a personal anecdote to explain that Pakistani drama, especially the PTV dramas, continues to impact the Pakistani diasporic communities abroad. He also focused, in his speech, on the development of Pakistani drama as it has occurred over the years.

Attiya Dawood, poet, writer, screenwriter, activist and script editor, discussed how the issue of rape has been portrayed in the Pakistani drama in a derogatory and trivial manner. She also criticised how today’s dramas show a cleric offering guidance to the characters on matters which in fact come under the expertise of legal representatives.

The session ended after a lively Q&A session, thus bringing to a close to the morning sessions of KLF’s third and final day.

1:24 pm Ba-Zuban e Qasmi: Readings and Conversation with Ata ul Haq Qasmi

Meri gali me teen kuttay hain aisay hain jinse me darta hun, aik professor ka, aik sha'ir ka aur aik sahafi ka – Ata ul haq qasmi while reading from his story 'Kuttay'

1:19 pm Ba-Zuban e Qasmi: Readings and Conversation with Ata ul Haq Qasmi

Visitors listening to Ata ul Haq Qasmi. – Photo by Aliraza Khatri

1:15 pm Ba-Zuban e Qasmi: Readings and Conversation with Ata ul Haq Qasmi

Ata ul Haq Qasmi (L) with Irfan Javed (moderator). – Photo by Aliraza Khatri

1:07 pm The Legacy of the Mahatma

From L to R: Zaffar Junejo (moderator), Dr Rajmohan Gandhi and Sarah Ansari. – Photo by Kurt Menezes

12:55 pm Drama and the Small Screen

Aurat ka ek ek ansoo humhari rating bharata hai. – Haseena Moin quoting someone who said this to her

Rajmohan Gandhi about to go on stage to talk about the Mahatma's legacy, with Sarah Ansari #KLF2014 #KLF packed

— Ehsan Masood (@EhsanMasood) February 9, 2014

**12:50 pm*

Performance by Thespian theatre. – Photo by Kurt Menezes

12:46 pm Baloch Literature and Landscape

From L to R: Ayub Baloch, Zobaida Jalal, Baela Raza Jamil (moderator) and Tariq Rahman. – Photo by Taahira Booya

12:37 pm Bringing Down the Gender Walls

Just because I am a woman doesn't necessarily mean that trying to educate myself is a crime – Mandira Sen

12:37 pm Bringing Down the Gender Walls

Pakistan might just be the only country in the world where primary education is divided between boys and girls which doubles the cost of provision. – Asad Sayeed

12:25 pm Bringing Down The Gender Walls

The second set of morning sessions have begun at the KLF’s final day. One of these is Bringing Down The Gender Walls. The panellists consist of Mandira Sen, Dr Amina Yaqin, Zoya Hasan, and Dr. Asad Sayeed. Dr. Taimur Rahman, of Laal fame, moderated the session.

After brief introductions of all the speakers, the discussion moved on to Mandira Sen, a publisher and activist on women’s issues and social dissent from the Indian city of Kolkatta. She started her speech with an outline of the history of women’s writing in the Indian sub-continent, which was immensely enriching and inspiring for the audience.

The discussion then moved to Dr Amina Yaqin, a scholar and academic from London’s School of African and Oriental Studies (SOAS). She began by talking about how the phenomenon of Islamic Barbie that was released in the United States influenced her.

Furthermore, Dr Yaqin said that the presence of the Islamic Barbie, and other dolls from Islamic countires, captures a niche market amongst the diaspora communities, just like the Halal brand has done. She added that these dolls are usually marketed in order to counter the existing popularity of Barbie and Ken dolls.

Dr Yaqin moved on to talk about Muslim representation in British mainstream culture. One of the points she discussed in her speech was about the fixing of the visual stereotype of Muslim women in the British culture.

Zoya Hasan, eminent scholar and political scientist from India’s Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), followed with a speech on Muslim women in India. She said that the Muslim women of India have been deprived of substantive socio-economic rights, further saying that the Partition influenced the policies on treatment of minorities in general, and in particular, the Muslims.

To a question by the moderator, Dr Asad Sayeed responded that although there has been a huge change as more women are entering the public spaces, but they still lag behind on the very edges of remunerative work.

He further said that statistics show that South Asia, as a whole, has a lower representation and participation of women in the labour force. Towards the end of his response, he expressed his optimism that the existing numbers of women in the labour force in South Asia, and particularly in Pakistan, will eventually increase.

Dr Sayeed is an economist and researcher with a focus on political economy.

The session, once again, ended with a very short Q&A session due to time constraints. – Text by Soonha Abro

12:20 pm Dhoop Kiran: Readings and Conversation with Imdad Hussaini

Imdad Hussaini beautifully translated Faiz's work in Sindhi and even made it sound like original poetry. – Fahmida Riaz

12:15 pm Writing History

During the writing history session, scholars emphasised that governments should not intervene in writing histories as it was the task of professionals and unbiased historians.

‘We should also at least narrow down the stereotypes of history,’ said Mushirul Hassan – an Indian historian and former vice chancellor of Jamia Milia Delhi.

Hamida Khuhro urged that a balance approach was needed to write text books in Pakistan.

Khuhro also voiced her concern over the poor quality of textbooks published by provincial book boards in Pakistan.

Educationist, Ismat Riaz, said the main objective of history is that a man should know himself, adding that curriculum of citizenship is needed in Pakistan.

Eminent historian, Dr Mubarak Ali, said many of his history books are banned in educational institutes like Multan University and Quaid-i-Azam library.

‘Despite of the ban, youth from Sindh and Balochistan are the main readers of my book and they really appreciate my work,’ added Ali. – Text by Suhail Yusuf

Muslim and Muslim women lag behind in 3 areas in #india: education, employment and access 2 social welfare #GenderWalls #klf #KhiLF #klf2014

— Ali Hassan (@enspec) February 9, 2014

Nauman Naqvi, the moderator of session with #AshisNandy seems like one of the finest, I have seen through the #KLF session in these years

— Ali Arqam (@aliarqam) February 9, 2014

3rd day of #KLF started with an excellent & thoughtful session on #Karachi with an illustrious panel #Karachi

— Ali Arqam (@aliarqam) February 9, 2014

11:58 am Bringing Down the Gender Walls

From L to R: Asad Sayeed, Zoya Hasan, Amina Yaqin, Mandira Sen and Taimur Rahman (moderator). – Photo by Kurt Menezes

11:55 am Dhoop Kiran: Readings and Conversation with Imdad Hussaini

From L to R: Kishwar Naheed, Imdad Hussaini, Fahmida Riaz and Sahar Imdad (modertor). – Photo by Aliraza Khatri

11:40 am Karachi: From Stone Age to Cyber Age

From L to R: Alia Iqbal Naqvi (moderator), Rumana Husain and Asma Ibrahim. – Photo by Asif Umar

11:30 am Karachi: From Stone Age to Cyber Age

Arif Hasan (L) with Kaleemullah Lashari. – Photo by Asif Umar

11:14 am Baloch Literature and Landscape The third day of the KLF started with a session on Baloch Literature and Landscape. The panelists of this session included Ayub Baloch (scholar who promotes Anthropology in Balochistan), Tariq Luni (a sculptor from National College of Arts), Zubaida Jalal (leading social worker and public figure from Balochistan).

The session was moderated by Baela Raza Jamil who works in public policy and has worked extensively with Baloch people in organising the Children’s Literature Festival.

Jamil began the session with an enriching and intriguing presentation on the history and culture of Balochistan. She then finished her introductions of the speakers and a short explanation of the format of the seminar.

Ayub Baloch started his speech with a piece of poetry pertinent to the topic of the session. He said that Balochistan is extremely rich in its literature, and that it was a huge mistake for those people who were belittling the largest province of Pakistan.

Regarding Baloch literature, Baloch said that the province’s literature is based on four schools of thought. The nomadic and hunter-gatherer societies in Balochistan’s history have contributed some very rich traditions to Baloch literature, especially the oral storytelling tradition. The city of Sibi in Balochistan is a major centre in the history of Balochistan and its literature, Baloch informed the audience.

Regarding Mehergarh, Baloch said that the archaeological site belongs to every ethnic group living in Balochistan. He ended his speech by playing a soundtrack in Balochi for the audience.

Tariq Luni, born and brought up in Sibi, began his speech by talking about how all the landscape, literature, poetry, music, its rhythms have permeated his whole being, and is an integral part of who he is.

Luni then spoke about how his Baloch identity has inspired and influenced much of his artwork as a sculptor. His artwork was shown on a slideshow, while he explained the natural, and cultural images represented in his sculptures.

Some of his sculptures touched upon social issues like child labour and the lack of educational opportunities for both girls and boys.

Zubaida Jalal spoke towards the end, and began her speech with her cultural influences that were transmitted to her by her mother. She added that the nomadic elements of the ancient Balochistan society still exist today, as people of different areas of the province still move to other areas to avoid the seasons of extreme summer and winter of the province.

The session, due to time constraints, was hurriedly ended with only a few minutes allotted for Q & A. – Text by Soonha Abro

11:11 am Baloch Literature and Landscape

KLF is a response to be inclusive while the state continues to be exclusive. – Raza Jamil

11:05 am Puppet Show by Ritz Theatre

– Photo by Aliraza Khatri

Balochistan artifact and sculptures discussed. Awesome artwork @ #KLF

— Imran Baloch (@ImranBaloch123) February 9, 2014

10:53 am Writing History

From L to R: Hamida Khuhro, Mushirul Hasan, Syed Jaffar Ahmed (moderator), Mubarak Ali and Ismat Riaz. – Photo by Aliraza Khatri

Today at 5 pm at #klf come watch 2 short documentaries I recently directed & meet a phenomenal surprise guest! #karachi #pakistan

— Sharmeen Obaid (@sharmeenochinoy) February 9, 2014

10:30 am Puppet Show by Ritz Theatre

A show on Dora by Ritz Threatre. –Photo by Kurt Menezes

10:15 am Good morning, everyone! Hope you're having a beautiful Sunday morning.

The third and the final day of the fifth Karachi Literature Festival has just started. Sessions are underway and we can already hear children enjoying the puppet show in the parking area.

Children enjoying the puppet show by Ritz Theatre. – Photo by Kurt Menezes