FAR away from the sights and sounds of big cities, removed from the cacophony of literature festivals and with no superstar headlining the event, the third international conference on literature took place at the quiet and expansive premises of Shah Abdul Latif University in Khairpur, Sindh, from Jan 13-14. In all, 63 scholars from 14 countries read their papers on the topic ‘Literature, Society and Reconstruction: Past, Present and Future.’

Most scholars focused on the historical development of literature and its place in some of the languages of the region, such as Hindko, Seraiki, Sindhi, Pahari and Pashto. Others raised critical questions about the role of literature and literary scholars in the current times.

Among the guests from outside Pakistan was Dr Ibrahim Mohammad Ibrahim, head of the Urdu department at Al Azhar University in Cairo. He argued that the role of literature in Egypt had declined, and blamed it on the internet, the high cost of books and the unsettling political situation.

Writer and columnist Zahida Hina was scathing in her criticism of intellectuals and scholars who she felt had failed in taking forward democratic ideals and political traditions. “Writers seem to be at peace with the situation,” she said. Dr Atiya Syed of the Lahore College for Women said that Allama Iqbal held sway over the masses and Sir Syed influenced the educated middle class. She argued that such zeal for leading the public is the need for the day.

Khawar Nawazish, lecturer at the Government Muslim Degree College in Faisalabad, suggested a novel concept, something he labelled “constructive literature”. He outlined certain conditions that he feels need to be fulfilled by the writer to create this kind of literature: “The writer must be aware of reasons of decline in the society, the writer must accept that society is far removed from its national identity and finally, the need to discard the servitude mentality at economic, political, societal, cultural and intellectual levels.”

Dr Satyapal Anand, a Chakwal-born US poet and fiction writer, also attended the conference. Dr Anand’s paper focused on protest literature in Europe and the US. “Anti-war literature, particularly during the Vietnam War, produced hundreds of poems, short stories and plays,” he said. His paper also discussed the tone and tenor of protest literature in Urdu from Pakistan during and after military regimes. Dr Fatema Hassan, another well-known name in literary circles, read out her essay on women’s contribution to literature. “It was under the Progressive Writers’ Movement that women began writing and went on to establish a strong literary identity,” she pointed out.

As part of the conference, a mushaira at the Faiz Mahal, a beautiful 18th century palace of the Talpurs who ruled the princely state of Khairpur before it ceded to Pakistan, was held on the first day. The next day’s proceedings culminated with music and dance performances by the faqirs of the mausoleums of Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai and Sachal Sarmast.

While the conference was very well conceptualised and organised, there was lack of a session dedicated to Sindhi literary luminaries and their contributions to Urdu.

The writer is a Dawn staffer