KARACHI, June 3: ‘Meray Shaher Ki Awaaz’ (the voice of my city) was the title of the short story Qaser Saleem read out at the monthly literary sitting of the Pakistan Arts Council on Monday.

A plain narrative and yet a symbolic story, it depicted the lament of an old man whose voice was never heard in a loud and hum-drum city of the millions. Somehow he finds his voice in the cool and quiet night under the star-studded sky.

Asif Maalik and Nasim Anjum admired the story whose author has twelve publications to his credit — travelogues, translations and story collections.

Earlier, Tabassum Siddiqui and Ghalib Irfan read out their ghazals. Among those who offered their comments on Ms Siddiquis’ ghazal were Ahmad Saghir Siddiqui who found the ghazal simple and unattractive, Shariq Balyavi who saw one or two tolerably good couplets in it, Fauzia Mushtaq who did not find not one couplet worthy of comment and Raashid Noor who defended the poet for composing in a simple and unadorned style.

Yaaver Aman’s poem ‘Khaab Haqeeqat’ depicted the ugliness in human society. Most of the listeners kept mum despite their reservations. Ali Haider Malik broke the ice and explained the symbols — the snake coming the dream was the vicious element in the society, the women bitten by the snake was beauty and virtue now dead, and what was left was the filth most offensive.

But Sarshar Siddiqui spoke with equal vehemence when he said the description of filth and human refuse was itself very offensive, creating a negative effect. Senoir poet Jamil Azeemabadi, who was in the chair, advised the poets not to submit substandard ghazals for critical evaluation. He, however, admired the story. The naats by Iqbal Haider and Saqib Anjan were admired by everyone.

Naqqash Kazmi conducted the proceedings.—HA