AS a matter of principle, the undersigned has decided to abstain from attendance of any event connected with the sixth Karachi Literature Festival (KLF) from Feb 6 to 8.

This writer has participated as attendee and as speaker in four out of the past five festivals.

The organisers invited one to contribute as a speaker in the past festivals. One was even requested to ‘stand in’ at the last moment to moderate a panel in the fifth KLF when the original invitee was not able to come.

For the sixth KLF, the organisers invited me well in advance to be a guest speaker. The invitation was accepted, subject to mutual agreement on the topic, date, time, etc. An invitation was later received by me to serve as the moderator of a panel discussion on a subject whose formulation as conveyed was of little interest to one.

When one wrote to the founder of the festival, a good friend as well of many years, one was politely informed that with such a large number of speakers, and with organisers devoting efforts in their free time, it was not possible to consult each speaker in advance about the subject assigned.

To which one responded that then, either the KLF has become too large or that more volunteers are required to give free time. The invitation was then declined with thanks.

Be that as it may: one will boycott the sixth KLF on two grounds. For disregard of the views — and fundamental rights – of the invited speaker about a given subject imposed on the speaker. And for the unacceptable attitude of presumption: take it or leave it.

Javed Jabbar

Karachi

Published in Dawn, February 1st, 2015

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