ISLAMABAD: The fourth Islamabad Literature Festival started at Lok Virsa on Friday and people from all walks of life came to participate in discourse with authors, artists and experts. The opening ceremony was held in the open air theatre.

Founder Director of the Karachi and Islamabad literature festivals Ameena Saiyid welcomed guests and paid tribute to late authors and writers.

“Since the last literature festival we have lost some great writers and their memories live on with us. Intizar Hussain, the pride of Pakistani literature, is no longer with us. In the last year we also lost Jamiluddin Aali, Abdullah Hussain, Nasreen Anjum Bhatti and Fatima Surraiya Bajia.”

She expressed hope that similar festivals are also held in other towns and cities in Pakistan.

“An array of literary, artistic, scholarly and musical talent from all over Pakistan and abroad will be here to stimulate and inspire us. In these difficult times we need the optimism of these festivals more than ever. Fairytales are important not because they tell us that dragons exist but because they remind us that they can be beaten.”

In her key note address, which was more political than literary, ex-foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar said she was attending a literature festival for the first time.

“While they are a new phenomenon in Pakistan, they inculcate enthusiasm and I am amazed by the diversity of the audience each time”, she said.

“Literature, arts and culture are the soul of a country. My country is far from living its full potential as self-analysis and critique is seen as unpatriotic. Literature feeds hope and creates the space to self-analyse the wrongs and rights we experience. True patriotism is enabled by self-analysis which is facilitated by the propagation of art culture and literature”, she said.

She added, “Now I believe we are on the right trajectory as the space for apologists has contracted substantially, we are regaining the writ of the State over all its sovereign territory and the State is regaining its monopoly over the use of violence.”

Leading writer and journalist Masood Ashar said: “ These literature festivals happen annually in multiple cities and these occasions bring literary experts and specialists to our environs and these are our bright faces to share with the world.”

He observed, “There is a sharp divide between the large regressive part of society and the much smaller progressive liberals. Extremism and dogmas exist on both sides. Religion has become a business, a way to make a living. Being enlightened also has as many dogmas - the liberals too react badly to contradiction, debate and disagreement.”

Also at the event was Ambassador of France Martine Dorance who said that the French embassy supports the literature festivals in Karachi, Lahore and Karachi and had also invited French scholars to Pakistan to participate in them.

The High Commissioner of the United Kingdom Thomas Drew also spoke at the opening ceremony.

“I am looking forward to many sessions in the programme – some which are new to me and others that are familiar. One of the highlights will be the conversation between Anatol Lieven and Hina Rabbani Khar.”

Literary festivals encourage people to engage with books and authors, said Lok Virsa Director Fouzia Saeed.

“Progressive forces must work together to enlarge the space for learning and culture,” she said.

Performances by child stars, who were discovered through talent hunts, were also part of the opening event.

The first performer was Zamin, a singer from Peshawar who sang the popular Pashto folk song Bibi Shirini. The second was a young girl, Muskaan Noshah from Hafizabad, who sang famous lines from popular folk romance Mirza Sahibañ, The last performance was by the trio Aashir Niazi, Subhan and Muzammil, grandsons of Islamabad based folk singer Qurban Niazi who enthralled the audience with popular numbers.

Not everyone was happy with the event, however. A guest at the opening ceremony, Hammad Khan, objected to the venue.

“I don’t why they selected this venue as the ceremony was terribly hot and noisy. The festival should have been in a space where the halls were close together and air conditioned. I preferred the previous ILFs which were much more comfortable,” he said.

Published in Dawn, April 16th, 2016